TV presenter Natalie Pike has revealed she was targeted by a stalker during a terrifying ordeal that lasted eight months. The former model, who works for Manchester City's in-house media team and other broadcasters, took to social media to describe how a man was prosecuted and received a suspended prison sentence for stalking her.
Incident at Etihad Stadium
Natalie paid tribute to Manchester City after describing how one incident unfolded at the Etihad Stadium, when the club's security team intervened to protect her. She told how she then faced her stalker in court, describing the experience as 'one of the hardest periods' of her life.
In a Facebook post, Natalie said: "At the end of September, an individual was sentenced after pleading guilty to stalking me, involving serious alarm or distress. The court imposed a custodial sentence, suspended, alongside other requirements and a restraining order preventing him from contacting me directly or indirectly."
Speaking Out to Help Others
She said she was speaking out to offer support to anyone going through a similar experience. Natalie added: "For eight months, this has been something I have had to deal with alongside every other part of my life, and at times it has been incredibly difficult. I hope this marks the end of one of the hardest periods of my life and allows me to finally close this chapter and move forward."
Natalie explained that she continued working and travelling during the ordeal, spending time with her mother who is living with stage four cancer. She said: "Only a handful of people knew what I was dealing with. I suppose I want to share that because it's a reminder that someone's happiness can be completely genuine, while at the same time they can be going through something incredibly difficult that you know nothing about."
Gratitude to Police and Manchester City
She thanked the police for taking her seriously from the moment she reported the stalking, saying she felt "listened to, believed and supported throughout." Natalie also expressed gratitude to Manchester City, saying: "During the game, they quite literally swept me up and immediately put measures in place to protect me. Since then, so many different people and departments across the club have supported me."
She highlighted changes the club made to security and travel arrangements to help keep her safe, adding: "Their support has been unwavering and continues to this day. It has meant more to me than I can say."
Encouraging Others to Report
Natalie urged anyone experiencing stalking to seek help, noting that her experience of reporting to the police was positive. She also thanked the Suzy Lamplugh Trust for counselling and specialist support over the past eight months.
She described choosing to attend court and read her Victim Personal Statement in front of the stalker, saying: "I needed him to hear from me the impact his actions had had on my life. But I also needed to do it for myself. I wanted to take some of my power back. What happened to me has affected me, but it will not define me."
