Woman stalked for 20 years to sue police for wrongful arrest
13 Jul 2010
A woman who complained to police that she was being stalked, only
to be arrested herself for wasting police time, has said she is
taking legal action for
wrongful imprisonment.
Kate Hall, 47, had been stalked for more than 20 years by a man
named David Williamson, who had held her hostage in the past and
smashed her kneecap with steel toe-capped boots, the Scotsman
reports.
When she began to get abusive letters and pornographic images in
November last year, as well as flammable liquid through her
letterbox, she assumed it was beginning again and complained for
Fife Police.
Unbeknown to her, they had set up CCTV cameras outside her home and
when she complained again, she was arrested for wasting police
time.
This came despite the fact that Hall could not be seen carrying out
any of the misdemeanours herself and the footage clearly showing a
man approaching her letterbox.
"I was detained for nine hours and then remanded in custody for a
week. It was dreadful. They said they had proof I had done it, but
I knew that was impossible.
"It's so wrong that victims of stalkers should be treated in this
way. It's been a dreadful ordeal," Ms Hall commented.
The victim added that she is consulting with a lawyer with a view
to suing Fife Police for wrongful arrest and imprisonment.
According to the Network for Surviving Stalking, 77 per cent of
stalking victims only report their ordeal to the police after 100
or more incidents.
Just 21 per cent believe the police are sufficiently aware of the
needs of stalking victims.
