A woman who was relentlessly stalked by a man she met only once during a job interview has come forward to share her terrifying experience in the new BBC Three documentary To Catch A Stalker.
Jen, a recruitment consultant from the UK, recounts the chilling ordeal that began in March 2022 when a man applied for a job she had posted online.
After a brief interaction and a job offer, his behavior quickly turned obsessive, sparking a campaign of harassment that left her fearing for her life.
The story is part of a powerful series hosted by Love Island alum Zara McDermott, who meets with victims of stalking and domestic abuse to raise awareness of the long-lasting psychological toll these crimes can inflict.
Jen’s experience began innocently enough; a job listing and a brief interview. But within days, she began receiving frequent and overly familiar text messages from the man, as if they were in a relationship, MailOnline details.
“He would text me updates like, ‘It’s 5am, I’m heading here and stopping there,’ like we were best friends,” she said. “I didn’t respond, but the messages kept coming, morning, night, middle of the night. Then it got personal.”
Soon, the man began sending intimate images of himself and disturbing voice notes, whispering bizarre and frightening declarations of love. One message said: “My love for you is in my brain, not in my manhood. I am the guy you are looking for. I want you so bad.”
The harassment escalated further, he began sending her his location, urging her to meet him, and monitoring her as though they were in a relationship. “It was so creepy. I found out he was making porn searches for women who looked like me. I was scared he would attack me,” Jen revealed.
Just five days into the messages, his tone turned aggressive and threatening. In one voice note, he raged: “A young capable guy who is in love with you, and you threw me overboard. Who are those people? None of them care for you.”
Despite reporting him to the police several times and presenting substantial evidence, Jen said the man was only ever given short prison sentences, allowing the cycle of abuse to continue. He has been arrested four times and is currently behind bars, but his release is imminent.
“Every time he’s released, it’s the same,” she said. “Once, he called me two hours after getting out. Bought a phone, called me, said: ‘Hi baby, it’s me.’ He doesn’t respect the law. He said in a police interview, ‘I want to break her.’ And I am broken.”
Jen's sister, Sam, described the constant fear the family lives in, knowing his release is approaching. “The restraining orders mean nothing to him. He’ll come straight to her,” she said. “She’s stopped eating, she can’t sleep. She’s scared to take sleeping pills in case he turns up.”
Through tears, Sam added: “Without real intervention, he’ll kill her. I honestly believe that.”
Jen’s story is just one of several featured in To Catch A Stalker, a raw and emotional series that shines a light on the real-life trauma of stalking victims and the legal system’s shortcomings in protecting them.
Reflecting on the series, Zara said it was one of her most emotional projects yet. “I was so moved by the bravery of these women. I just hope it opens up important conversations about stalking and helps push for stronger protections.”