Donnington stalking victim urges others to come forward

A VICTIM of harassment by a former partner has spoken out to encourage others to come forward.

Hayley Walker said she wants other women to stand against such behaviour and to report it to police.

She did so – and, as a result her tormentor, 40-year-old Stephen Hill of Love Lane, Donnington, admitted pursuing a course of conduct which amounted to harassing Ms Walker by messaging her, by sending unwanted gifts and by repeatedly contacting her friends and family between November 2 last year and Tuesday, January 5 this year.

On Thursday, April 29, Mr Hill appeared in the dock at Reading Magistrates’ Court for sentencing.

He was made subject to a two-year community order and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid community work.

Mr Hill was also required to attend a rehabilitation programme and was told to pay £85 costs, plus a statutory victim services charge of £95.

He was ordered to attend a Building Better Relationships programme as part of his sentence.

Finally, the court imposed a two-year restraining order on him, which forbids Mr Hill from contacting Ms Walker either directly, indirectly or via any social media platform.

It also forbids him from going to her Thatcham home or any place she works.

Ms Walker said afterwards: “At first, I was embarrassed when people found out about the court case.

“But then I realised: I’m the victim here and I’ve nothing to be ashamed of.

“I think too many victims feel there’s a stigma, when it should be the man or woman who is doing the harassment that should feel the shame.”

Ms Walker, a 26-year-old area manager for a local firm, added: “Since this happened I’ve had lots of women come to me and say it happened to them, but they never felt confident enough to do anything about it.

“It’s not just women who are the victims, of course.

“People think it won’t happen to them – I never expected this would happen to me either – but it’s a serious issue and I’ve realised I did nothing wrong.”

Ms Walker said that she felt that police had initially been slow to act.

But once officers decided to take action, they had been very supportive.

She said her message was for victims to report incidents to the police and to understand that they should not have to suffer in silence.