A nurse has told how she was left 'living in constant fear' after a campaign of stalking by her possessive ex-partner, who spray-painted love hearts on her driveway and broke into her home.
A Relationship That Turned to Terror
Barry Mulroney, 66, has been jailed for three years at Bolton Crown Court after admitting to stalking and burglary. The court heard how his obsessive behaviour towards nursing assistant Mandy Walker, 58, became 'quite despicable'.
The pair began dating in September 2023. By November 2024, Mulroney had moved into Ms Walker's home, despite her reluctance. He claimed to have spent around £29,000 on renovations, including a £4,000 bed, and a further £20,000 on six holidays. Ms Walker, a mother of five with five grandchildren, disputed these figures.
A Campaign of Harassment and Intrusion
When Ms Walker ended the relationship, the harassment began. Mulroney bombarded her with unwanted emails and texts. He used spray paint to deface her driveway, pavements, and the road outside her home with love hearts.
The stalking escalated alarmingly. In one incident, he discovered the name of an Egyptian resort where she was due to holiday with friends and secretly booked himself a room. Ms Walker cancelled the £1,800 trip and booked to go to Turkey instead, but he tracked her there too.
The most terrifying violation came in June 2025, when Mulroney gained entry to her house via a window. He stole items and tampered with the electrical switchboard, leaving Ms Walker to initially believe there had been a power cut when she returned home.
Items stolen during the break-in included:
- The engagement ring he had given her
- $140 in cash
- Eight bikini bottoms
- A house key
- A set of 18-carat pearl earrings
Living in Fear and a Courtroom Confrontation
In a powerful victim impact statement, Ms Walker described the profound effect of the stalking and harassment. 'I lived in constant fear and every noise sent me into a panic,' she said. 'I lost interest in all the things I used to enjoy... I started doing my food shopping online because I couldn't motivate myself to leave the house.'
She provided the court with 1,442 pages of chat logs showing her repeatedly telling him to leave her alone, and a recorded phone call where she confronted him about the break-in. In response, he told her: 'I'll find you wherever you go. It's not that difficult.'
Even from the dock during court proceedings, Mulroney's obsession was on display. As Ms Walker prepared to give her statement, he made heart shapes with his fingers and mouthed 'I love you' at her.
Sentencing and a Lifetime Ban
It was revealed that Mulroney, from Hampton in Malpas, Cheshire, had a previous conviction for stalking a former girlfriend. Sentencing him to three years in prison, Judge Nicholas Clarke KC condemned his actions.
'You have stalked her over a significant period of time, declining to cooperate with her wishes, withdrawing her autonomy of movement,' the judge said. 'Your behaviour towards her has been quite despicable.'
An indefinite restraining order was imposed, forbidding Mulroney from contacting or approaching Ms Walker ever again, except through solicitors regarding belongings.
In mitigation, his defence counsel Jane Miller said Mulroney had loved Ms Walker 'very much' and believed they would spend their lives together, claiming he was 'surprised that she was unhappy'. The court's sentence and the victim's testimony painted a starkly different picture of a life dominated by fear.
