A woman has shared her terrifying experience after her obsessive ex-partner placed a tracking device on her car and took a long-distance photo of her atop a cliff. David Malone, 54, from Newquay, captured an image of Bethany Cathrae, 42, during an extended period of control and stalking.
While out for a run, Bethany spotted Malone in a car park and made a dash up the cliffs at Watergate Bay near Newquay to escape him. Days later, she received a photo of herself on the cliff with a circle around her and the caption "that is you btw."
Malone appeared before Cornwall Magistrates' Court in May 2021, where he pleaded guilty to stalking. The court was told that between January and November 2020, Malone had been stalking Bethany by following her, installing trackers on her cars, and making various unwanted communications.
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Malone was fined £1,600 and ordered to pay court related fees of £245. A five year restraining order was also made, preventing him from contacting his victim.
Bethany, who owns a cleaning company in Newquay, recounted: "I was jogging along when I spotted David standing in the car park. My heart was beating in my chest, and I turned the music up in my headphones and sprinted up towards the cliff.
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"Just days later I got an email through from him, with a picture of the cliff with a little figure circled in red with the words 'this is you btw' typed out. "He must have watched me go up to the cliff and then gone and taken a photo from the beach.
"Every day that passed I became more and more paranoid. I couldn't sleep, and I'd wake up with night tremors. I was constantly petrified, It felt like his eyes were always on me."
Bethany found herself in a relationship with Malone for a year after they met at a pub where she worked in Newquay. Initially, he appeared "fake and charming" but Bethany quickly realised he was "controlling". Despite trying to end the relationship several times even after giving up her own home of five years to move in with him she felt "isolated" and found it difficult to break free from him.
On one occasion, she sought refuge in a holiday let only to be greeted by flowers sent by Malone, a reminder that she could never truly escape him. She remained unhappy ''for a long time'', before finally managing to leave him in January 2020.
However, refusing to accept rejection, Malone continued to exert control over Bethany by stalking her. He tracked her movements, including her running routes, by placing a tracker on her car. Bethany, who has since remarried, shared: "In November 2020 I found out how he had known where I was all the time.
"I'd taken my car to the garage for a wheel alignment the mechanics told me they'd found a tracker on my car. I felt like I wanted to throw up - I knew it was David. We googled it and the tracker was from Amazon, it comes with a subscription.
''It would notify him when I started the engine, and when I turned it off. He had obviously had two because I had that BMW and I used to drive his Audi he tracked me in both."
Bethany contacted the authorities and presented them with evidence of his stalking. He was subsequently charged with stalking and admitted his guilt in May 2021 at Cornwall Magistrates' Court. Bethany believes Malone could have been dealt a harsher sentence, but she hopes her ordeal can assist others in seeking help from potential stalkers.
"It doesn't really feel like justice for how he tortured me," she expressed. "Even now my new husband has to announce when he is home so I know that is it him. It is getting better now but it took me a while to be able to trust anyone again.
"I felt so violated to know that David was watching my every move. I would advise anyone going through a similar situation to me, to familiarise yourself with the law. Know your rights, and know that this is a serious crime.
"It must be taken seriously and you're not just being silly. I feel lucky to have got out when I did - this type of behaviour often turns violent. There is help out there, and there is a life afterwards."
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