Man who stalked Cambridgeshire woman jailed for over two years
Graeme Clark, 43 from St Ives, has been sentenced for harassing their victim with fake social media profiles
Last updated 25th Jul 2024
A man who transferred £10,000 to his victim in an attempt to keep her in contact has been sentenced to more than two years in prison.
Graeme Clark, 43, of Willow Green, Needingworth, St Ives, was found guilty of stalking after creating multiple fake social media profiles to harass his victim over two years. Clark's fixation began after meeting the woman through her work in Preston, Lancashire, in August 2021.
Their initial friendship involved daily texting and visits from the victim to Cambridgeshire. However, the relationship took a turn when Clark admitted to becoming “obsessed” with her, prompting the victim to cease contact a few months later.
After being blocked on WhatsApp, Clark called the victim to inform her of a £10,000 bank transfer he had made to her account. Despite the victim's pleas to return the money, Clark insisted she keep it, hoping to maintain their connection.
Clark’s persistence escalated when he messaged the victim from a nearby hotel in Preston, revealing he knew her location despite her never sharing her address. His continued harassment through fake accounts eventually led to contacting her family and friends, expressing concern for her well-being.
In February of last year, Clark sent a message to the victim’s Instagram, warning her to "be more careful on social media," accompanied by a Google image of her home. Despite promising to leave her alone, Clark resumed contact days later with a friend request featuring a picture of her gym.
By March, under a new username, Clark demanded the return of the £10,000. The harassment persisted, leading the victim to report him to the police, resulting in his arrest two months later.
During the police interview, Clark confessed to messaging the victim’s family and friends, claiming it was to “check on her welfare” and apologised for the distress caused.
On Tuesday, 23 July, at Huntingdon Law Courts, Clark pleaded guilty to stalking involving serious alarm or distress. He was sentenced to two years and four months in prison and received a restraining order.
DC Lee Hurley commented, “This awful experience left the victim feeling in genuine fear - every time she saw a car like his it caused her to panic. She constantly questioned herself and it made her feel paranoid. Stalking is a horrendous crime, and I would like to thank the victim for her courage and bravery in reporting this to the police. I hope this sentencing provides her with some sort of closure.”
For advice about stalking, visit: Cambridgeshire Police - Stalking and Harassment