KENT NEWS: The mother of a shop assistant killed by an obsessed former boyfriend is setting up an advice line for victims of stalking.
Clare Bernal, 22, of Groombridge, was shot dead by Michael Pech at Harvey Nicholls department store in Knightsbridge, west London, on September 13, 2005.
She had briefly dated the store’s former security guard earlier that year but ended the relationship due to his obsessive behaviour.
After refusing to accept this, Pech began to follow her, made repeated phone and sent numerous text messages, telling her: “If I can’t have you, nobody will.”
Miss Bernal, who grew up in Tunbridge Wells, reported this to the police and Pech, 30, a Czech national, was arrested.
He admitted harassing her, but eight days before he was due before a court for sentencing he walked into the beauty section of the world-renowned department store and shot Miss Bernal several times in the head.
Pech, a former soldier, then turned the gun on himself and committed suicide.
The victim’s mother Tricia Bernal, who lives in Groombridge, is planning to launch a national helpline in April as she feels it is important to have a dedicated helpline for the victims of stalking.
The service will be run by Protection Against Stalking, formerly the CRT Trust, the charity Mrs Bernal helped to start in 2008, in collaboration with the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and Network for Surviving Stalking.
Mrs Bernal said: "Clare would never have gone to a domestic violence helpline. She would never have seen herself as a victim of domestic abuse.
"It has to be specific to stalking so that anyone who feels at risk - men, women, teenagers - they know exactly what it is, stalking.
"Then they can be signposted and advised on how to deal with it, how to recognise the danger signs."
She added: "We're setting it up with the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and the Network for Surviving Stalking. We're hoping it's going to be set up by April. Interviewing is taking place at the moment."
In a separate development her son Phil, 21, who lives in Tunbridge Wells, is trying to set up a support group in the town for people struggling to cope with the burden of debts.
He started spending money heavily aged 18 as he struggled to cope with his sister’s murder and declared himself bankrupt this year.
Mr Bernal now wants to set up a Debtors Anonymous group in Tunbridge Wells using the model of support groups for alcoholics and drug addicts.
POSTED: 08/02/2010 17:46:18
Bookmark with:
Email to a friend: