Punctured tyres, nasty notes and malicious rumours: One woman's terrifying experience at the hands of a stalker

Julie was a successful Irish professional enjoying life in the UK until her 79-year-old neighbour began a campaign of harassment against her, writes Sorcha Crowley

'When you’re being stalked you can’t get out of it. You normalise what isn't normal. You go into survival mode and so you do what you have to do to cope.'

As part of her new normal, Julie* doesn’t open her blinds in the mornings. She times precisely when to leave for work, regularly changing her pattern of coming and going. She checks the ground in front of her car tyres for screws before getting in, ready to photograph and bag any evidence. 

Expensive CCTV cameras stud her every wall and window. Mirror film lines her rear conservatory windows. She has stopped sitting outside in her back garden. Sometimes she’ll ring a neighbour to ensure she gets into her home safely in the evenings.