Women in Greater Manchester should know about these obsessive men
02.10.2022 - 10:59
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Stalking is an insidious crime which can ruin people's lives. Perpetrators do not need to be in the same room as their victim for their behaviour to have potentially disastrous effects, with the internet providing another realm for abusive behaviour.
And when stalking manifests itself in the physical world, it can become even more dangerous. Recently released statistics reveal that two of Greater Manchester's boroughs have some of the highest rates of stalking in the country.
Nearly 900 stalking offences were logged by police in Oldham, according to Home Office data, with a further 837 recorded in Tameside. Of the 7,984 stalking offences recorded by Greater Manchester Police last year, only six per sent resulted in a suspect being charged. Here the M.E.N. recalls some of the stalking cases which made it before the courts.
Best never actually met his victim, but she was left just as traumatised as other stalking victims. He and the woman had struck up a relationship online and enjoyed playing video games together.
Best lived almost 4,000 miles away in Chicago. But after he became increasingly obsessive and bombarded her with disgusting messages, including telling her terminally ill father that he hoped his death would be 'terrible', she blocked him on all platforms in March.
Days later Best, fuelled by drink and cannabis, bought a one way ticket to Manchester and paid for an Airbnb. He purchased a hire car and scoped out the woman's house in Tameside for days.
But when he struck on April 3, she was not home. The woman's unsuspecting cousin had gone around to feed the cat while she and her family took a holiday to mark the anniversary of her father's death.
Best scaled a wall and 'leapt' at her cousin when she opened