'Stalking could be slow-motion murder' campaigner says

"It has the potential to be murder in slow motion."

Tracey Morgan was stalked by a colleague in Hampshire for nearly a decade and has campaigned for laws to provide better protection for victims.

A BBC Freedom of Information request found 1,388 Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs) were issued by the police forces that responded, with almost 440,000 overall cases recorded between 2020 and 2023.

Ms Morgan called the statistics "so disappointing" and said a multi-agency approach was needed.

Ms Morgan, who now lives in Crowthorne, Berkshire, said her experience of being stalked was "relentless", including being followed, watched, and the stalker accessing her home and taking items, as well as pouring oil over her car on two occasions.

"He made plans to kill me and my husband at the time," she said.

"We eventually got the test case for psychological grievous bodily harm in 1996 and he has over 20 convictions relating to his stalking of me."

She said reporting that to the police had been "difficult" as she had "no bruises or broken bones".

"When a victim goes for help, what have they got to show, necessarily?," she said.

Her stalker was only jailed for life in 2001 for the attempted murder of another woman.

Ms Morgan said hearing the figures of convictions was "so disappointing".

"[The victims] are actually terrified, it takes a lot of courage to go to the police.

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