Odd job man jailed for stalking

An odd job man has been jailed for stalking a female bank executive who employed him to work on her family home.

Ronald Walker, a 50-year-old married father-of-four, was sentenced for six months in prison at Newport magistrates court, having been found guilty of harassment at an earlier hearing.

Magistrates were told that Walker, from Risca, south east Wales, had been given a prison sentence for a similar crime six months ago.

I like to think of myself as a confident and determined woman, but I was frightened

Stalking victim Claire Harrhy

The court heard that a friendship developed between Walker and Claire Harrhy, when he was employed along with his son to do some building work on her five-bedroom home.

But before long, the hearing was told, Walker began tracking Mrs Harrhy - a married mother of three young children.

He followed her on the school run, turned up along a secluded canal as she walked her dog, followed her shopping and shone a powerful torch on her home late at night, despite having been asked to stay away.

At one stage he became so obsessed with the married woman that he turned up at her house in the early hours of the morning, declared undying love and urged her to run away with him and "start a new life".

Body scar

Walker insisted he had had a sexual relationship with Mrs Harrhy and had wined and dined her at local restaurants and public houses and bought her clothes and jewellery.

So intimate was their relationship, he claimed, that he knew of a scar on Mrs Harrhy's body.

But Mrs Harrhy told magistrates, the scar he referred to would have been easily visible when on one occasion she had been sunbathing in her garden wearing a bikini.

Breaking down in tears, Walker said he was ashamed at having to go into detail of an alleged physical relationship in front of his wife, Susan, who was with him in court.

"I did not harass Claire. I loved Claire. In fact I love two women," he said.

"I did not harass Claire. I loved Claire

Defendent Ronald Walker

Mrs Harrhy was accused of "paranoia" by the defence when she described Walker as a man "obsessed" and whose "body language" was frightening.

"I like to think of myself as a confident and determined woman, but I was frightened," she told the court.

Walker was sent to prison following psychiatric reports.

The magistrates told him: "Only custody is justified. This lady had a terrifying experience.

"You managed to create friendship and trust which was then betrayed."

A two-year restraining order was also placed on Walker.