A stalker lived in his terrified victim’s garden shed for five days without her knowing.
Obsessed Richard Bradford tormented ex-girlfriend Laura Vance even after she moved house to escape him.
The 42-year-old had been convicted of harassing her and one night she came downstairs to be confronted by him standing outside her window in a hood.
Next day she discovered he had left a metal rose and teddy bear on her lawn.
Frantic Laura contacted social workers and they discovered ripped up pictures of her in the garden shed.
Bradford was arrested and admitted he had been living there for five days.
Speaking of her terrifying ordeal, Laura, 37, said: “I just couldn’t believe he’d gone to such lengths to spy on me. When I realised he’d been living in my shed, I felt sick. To think he’d been lurking so close was just awful.
“Richard has terrorised me and made my life hell, it was like living in a film.”
Laura has spoken out to mark National Stalking Awareness Week 2020 after the Mirror campaign to bring in tougher laws on the pests.
She and Bradford split three years ago due to his controlling behaviour. But he then carried on bombarding her with calls.
In November 2017 he was given a community order and a two-year restraining order for harassment and battery.
Five months later Bradford was jailed for 18 weeks for breaching one order and, in November 2018, he got a conditional discharge for harassment.
But he continued to pester Laura, moving into her shed during this time, and in February 2019 he was given an indefinite restraining order.
Then in March last year Brad- ford was at it again. He was jailed for 16 months after being convicted of stalking and three breaches of the restraining order.
But as soon as he got out, Bradford, of no fixed address, bombarded Laura with more calls, some threatening to burn her home down and kill her. He was jailed for 26 months in February. The court heard he had 115 previous convictions
Laura, of Darlington, Co Durham, added: “I don’t understand why he has done this. He will not leave me alone, he will not stop.
I would go to make food and see his face at the window. He would stand outside my house.
“It was no life to live and women need to speak out. Don’t feel ashamed and be persistent. It took years to get believed and for Richard to get a proper sentence.
“He sent me letters even from prison. I had to blockade myself in my house. I was too scared to leave.
“But now I feel like a huge weight has been lifted, I want anyone going through the same thing to know it will get better, you can get out.”
