Neil Wilby Media

As part of National Stalking Awareness Week this week, West Yorkshire Police hosted an event with partners from across the county to raise awareness of Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs).   

The campaign is run by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, with this year’s theme being ‘Join Forces Against Stalking’. 

One in five women and one in ten men experience stalking in their lifetime. That includes the author of this article, long-time West Yorkshire resident, Neil Wilby, a victim of a notorious stalker and harasser based in Ormskirk, Lancashire.

Paul Arthur Ponting, 54, also known as ‘The Ormskirk Vigilante’ (read more here) was recently served with his second and third until further Order (permanent) injunctions at Manchester Civil Justice Centre after a grotesque campaign against two females, whose anonymity is protected by the court (read more here).

His first injunction came after Lancashire Constabulary brought proceedings against him in March, 2020 (read more here).

Stalking is a criminal offence which can have a significant and devastating impact on the lives of victims and their friends and family. It is referred to as a pattern of unwanted, fixated and obsessive behaviour which is intrusive. Ponting is currently on conditional police bail related to alleged criminal offences of stalking and harassment. He denies those charges.

The WYP stalking event took place online earlier this week (Wednesday 24th April) with over 200 professionals in attendance from across the county, including from Probation, Health, Social Services, Domestic Abuse Support Services and Specialist Stalking Victim Support services.   

The event was hosted by West Yorkshire Police’s Stalking Co-ordination Unit, supported by a Force Solicitor, to explain what Stalking Protection Orders are, how WYP apply for them and how they can protect victims of stalking and manage perpetrators.    

A Stalking Protection Order (SPO) is a civil order, which can be made under the Stalking Protection Act 2019 and applied for by police at the Magistrates’ Court. 

A SPO can be put in place for a minimum of two years and is used to protect victims of stalking offences. 

If a perpetrator was to breach a SPO, it would be a criminal offence punishable by a fine and/or a prison sentence of up to five years.    

 Speaking after the event, Detective Sergeant Roshan Pitteea of the Stalking Co-ordination Unit at West Yorkshire Police said:   

 “The event proved very successful and allowed for our dedicated partners who work with victims and perpetrators of stalking on a daily basis to gain insight into this valuable tool. We cannot underestimate the need for partnership and joint working to tackle stalking offences and safeguard victims effectively, so it was great to see representation from a wide range of organisations.  

 “Stalking is a serious and distressing crime which can escalate, and in some cases, is a pre-cursor to violence or serious harm. Therefore, all reports of stalking are taken incredibly seriously.   

 “We are continuing to work closely with partners to review how we can improve our response to stalking, including the ability to work across agencies to better identify offences, manage offenders, safeguard victims and progress investigations.” 

If you or someone you know is being stalked, you can report to police online or by calling 101 or in an emergency call 999. Stalking offences can also be reported to the National Stalking Helpline and the Cyber Helpline.   

 Additionally, useful advice and resources can be found on the force website at Stalking and Harassment | West Yorkshire Police.   

 If you are a Police Partnership Organisation or Employer, additional resources are also available on  at Information for Police Partnership Organisations | West Yorkshire Police. 

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Article first published: 27th April, 2024

Page last updated: Thursday 24th July, 2024 at 20h25 

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