My girlfriend’s stalker followed us in a car and sent me 400 messages

DEAR DEIDRE: FOR several months now my girlfriend has been stalked by a guy she knew when they were teenagers.

I met her six months ago. She is 22, I am 23.

She told me then that this guy had been sending her occasional messages but then it escalated. He has sent more than 400 in the last couple of months, and rung her phone countless times.

She tried to ignore it but then a car followed us all the way home after an evening out.

When we got inside she received a message saying where we had been so he had followed us all evening.

My girlfriend freaked.

DEIDRE SAYS: No wonder she freaked. Stalking is a crime and causes serious harm. Tell her not to reply but to keep screenshots of all messages and a detailed log of incidents – and to report this to the police.

She should also inform her workplace to ensure he cannot enter the building. If she sees the stalker she should go to the nearest safe place and phone the police.

The National Stalking Helpline can support her (stalkinghelpline.org, 0808 802 0300).

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