A man has been sentenced to three years in prison for a 'quite despicable' stalking campaign against his ex-fiancée, which included breaking into her home, daubing her driveway with paint, and tracking her to a foreign holiday resort.
A Relationship Turned Sinister
The court heard that Barry Mulroney, 66, from Hampton, Malpas, Cheshire, had been living with nursing assistant Mandy Walker, 58, at her home after they began dating in September 2023. The pair became engaged, but when Ms Walker ended the relationship, Mulroney refused to accept it was over.
After she asked him to leave, he began a sustained campaign of harassment. This included turning up at her home uninvited, throwing stones at her window, and using his skills as a locksmith to sneak back inside without her knowledge.
The Escalation to Burglary and International Pursuit
The stalking escalated dramatically. During one clandestine visit in June this year, Mulroney checked the details of an Egyptian resort hotel where Ms Walker was due to holiday with friends. He secretly booked himself a room there, forcing her to cancel the £1,800 trip and rebook for Turkey. He managed to track her to the Turkish destination as well.
Ms Walker later realised he had burgled her home, tampering with the electric switchboard to turn off the power. Items stolen during the break-in included:
- Her engagement ring
- 140 US Dollars
- Eight bikini bottoms
- A house key
- A set of 18-carat gold pearl earrings
Police investigations revealed Mulroney had a previous conviction for stalking another former girlfriend.
Court Sentencing and Victim Impact
At Bolton Crown Court, Mulroney admitted charges of stalking and burglary. Even while in the dock, he made heart shapes with his fingers at Ms Walker and mouthed 'I love you' as she prepared to give her victim statement.
In a powerful statement, Ms Walker, a mother of five and grandmother of five, described the profound impact of his crimes. 'What shook me most was that Barry - someone I once loved and trusted - could violate my space like that,' she said. 'After the break-in, I couldn't sleep or function properly. I lived in constant fear and every noise sent me into a panic.'
She provided the court with 1,442 pages of chat logs in which she repeatedly told him to leave her alone, and a recording of a phone call where he threatened, 'I'll find you wherever you go. It's not that difficult.'
Sentencing him to three years' imprisonment, Judge Nicholas Clarke KC told Mulroney: 'I am sorry for your victim in that she had the misfortune to enter a relationship with you... Your behaviour towards her has been quite despicable.' An indefinite restraining order was also imposed.
