A troubled and “sinister” stalker threatened to murder a woman after an obsessive campaign against her and her parents which saw them bombarded with “grossly violent and offensive” messages.
Daniel Clark's “very menacing” campaign saw him send a picture of male private parts to her and her boyfriend throughout the “bizarre” episode.
His terrifying behaviour went as far as turning up outside the woman's house wielding a metal bar during the long-running and “shameful” episode that made the woman’s life a misery.
This week a court heard how Clark told the woman “You’re going to die” before she finally contacted police about her ordeal.
Clark, 30, from Hull, admitted stalking the woman between December 21, 2020 and February 18 2021. He also admitted two offences of sending malicious communications to her and her boyfriend on February 16 last year and possessing an adapted metal bar as an offensive weapon on February 17 last year.
He asked for two other offences of sending offensive Facebook messages to be considered, according to Hull Live.
Benjamin Donnell, prosecuting at Hull Crown Court, said that the woman, now 28, did not know Clark, although she was aware that they originally lived in the same village.
She received a Facebook message from him saying “Stop following me on your yellow moped” but, because she did not have a yellow moped, she ignored it.
She later became aware that Clark was posting messages on Facebook saying that her parents were paedophiles. There were later abusive, foul-mouthed, obscene and insulting messages.
“They were abusive and quite disgusting,” said Mr Donnell. Friends of the woman saw the posts and one of the messages read: “I will kill one of you if this carries on.”
Clark sent the woman a picture of male private parts and there were further abusive messages. Another message said: “You’re going to get murdered one way or another. You’re going to pay big time for what your family has done to me.”
Another threat said: “You’re going to die.” Clark sent a picture of a knife on his knee and, when he was later arrested, he had that knife with him.
Clark’s behaviour became “more sinister” and he sent a picture of male private parts to the woman’s boyfriend and, the next day, he went to their home armed with a metal bar adapted into a baton, intending to cause them fear. Clark was arrested on February 18 last year.
“This was clearly a persistent action over a prolonged period of time,” said Mr Donnell. “The conduct was intended to maximise fear and distress with references to ‘you’re going to be murdered’. It was all very menacing.”
Clark had a conviction last year for drug-driving with cannabis in his system but he had not used cannabis since, the court heard.
The woman said in a statement: “I am scared to leave the house, especially in the hours of darkness. I now must wait for my partner to come home.”
She had to change her works vehicle for a new one as Clark knew what her previous one looked like. She had also had dash cams fitted.
She kept animals but did not go out to them in the hours of darkness and she doubted her security at home. She insisted that windows were kept shut, even in warm weather.
“I make every effort to avoid going out during the hours of darkness,” she said. “I am still worried about what he is capable of.”
Michael Forrest, mitigating, said that it was “bizarre” behaviour with a “warped sense of reality” and Clark had suffered from problems. He had reacted with “horror” to the language that he had used in the messages.
“He expresses sincere and contrite remorse,” said Mr Forrest. “He has little explanation for his actions. He holds no residual animosity."
Judge Sophie McKone told Clark: “You began to become fixated on the idea that the complainant’s parents had abused you as a child. It was completely wrong. As a result of that delusional belief, you began a campaign of stalking against their daughter.
“You must have made her life a misery. You accused her and her family of being paedophiles, which must have been distressing enough in itself.”
Clark used Facebook to send threatening and abusive messages and threatened to murder the woman as well as sending her pictures of private parts and a knife before sending her boyfriend a picture and turning up at their home with a metal bar.
Clark was given a one-year suspended prison sentence, 30 days’ rehabilitation, a tagged monitoring requirement to track his movements and two years’ treatment. He was given an indefinite restraining order.
After the hearing, the woman told Hull Live: “My life has never been the same since. I am constantly looking over my shoulder. It would have been better if he had been sent somewhere secure.
“I will probably still be on edge for a while. It’s just bizarre behaviour. It just baffles me. He is a complete stranger. I didn’t know the guy. I have never laid eyes on him before. It’s obviously worrying.”
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