A 41-year-old woman has been locked up after bombarding a total stranger with a relentless flood of abusive and threatening messages.
Amy Pickard’s Twisted Campaign of Harassment
Amy Pickard launched a depraved campaign of stalking against her victim between September and October 2024. Using multiple fake accounts, she flooded Facebook with invasive, sexual, and menacing messages. At her worst, hundreds of messages poured in every five minutes from dawn until the early hours.
Pickard even photoshopped images of herself alongside the man and used these as her Facebook profile pictures, creating a fake, sexualised relationship.
Stalking That Crossed the Line
- She stalked the victim’s every move, sending messages about his new clothes, pets, and even when he turned on his heating – proof she was watching him closely.
- In one chilling message, Pickard referenced a newly installed bird box outside his home, showing an intimate knowledge of his daily life.
- The harassment escalated when Pickard showed up outside the primary school where the victim dropped off his kids on 15 October 2024.
- She was arrested the same day at Giltbrook Shopping Park, wearing distinctive stripy socks previously featured in her taunting messages.
Evidence and Impact
Digital forensics uncovered photos on Pickard’s phone matching the Facebook accounts used to harass the victim. In his victim impact statement, the man revealed how Pickard’s campaign devastated his mental health.
Judge Hands Down Six-Year Sentence
Pickard, from Woodlands Close, Watnall, pleaded guilty to harassment and putting people in fear of violence at Nottingham Crown Court on 4 March. She was sentenced to an extended six years behind bars and slapped with an indefinite restraining order banning any contact with her victim.
