Former BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin and her daughter have bravely opened up about their 'terrifying' stalking ordeal.
In December 2021, ex-soldier Carl Davies, 44, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for the harassment of Louise and her family.
He was also handed an indefinite restraining order.
READ MORE: 'Cruel' carer sobs as pensioner, 78, brands her as 'low as it gets'
Davies sent threats to both Louise and her teenage daughter Mia’s social media accounts in July 2020.
The messages included graphic threats and information that showed Davies knew where the family lived and had visited the location.
Following the court case, Louise's daughter, Mia, has spoken for the first time of her mum’s stalking ordeal.
Speaking to ITV’s Tonight programme, she recalls how the stalking began.
She said: “I’m logged into mum's Instagram account and suddenly loads of messages started coming.
“They were all kind of just really offensive, calling us not very nice names and then they got much more graphic.
"It was the kind of actions that he wanted to do against me and mum, which got really personal and they weren't nice to read at all.
“I was kind of terrified, all kind of shaking. I think my heart was beating really fast. I didn't sleep all night. The entirety of the next day I was in floods of tears.”
Louise said: “It was very clear from the messages that this person knew exactly where we lived and had stood outside our front door. To say I was frightened, just doesn't really touch the surface.
“You are kind of on this high state of alert all the time. You don't know who they are. So, you don't know that that person standing next to you isn't them.”
Mia has noticed her behaviour has changed following the stalking.
She said: “When I'm walking, I'm very conscious of who is behind me, especially not to have my headphones in if it's dark and there's no one else around.”
Almost one in five women and almost one in ten men over the age of 16 in the UK have experienced stalking, as advisors at the National Stalking Helpline, run by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, took over 14,000 calls in 2021 - more than ever before.
ITV Tonight - Louise Minchin: The Truth About Stalking, investigates the thousands of victims of stalking in the UK, as Louise asks if enough is being done to tackle the crime.
- You can watch ITV Tonight - Louise Minchin: The Truth About Stalking, March 10, 8.30pm, on ITV or catch-up on ITV Hub
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
