Man convicted of stalking after following a woman on multiple occasions in Portsmouth

A man has been convicted of stalking after he followed a woman on several occasions after she left her place of work in Southsea.

Philip Rooney, 47, of Waverley Road in Southsea was found guilty by a jury on Thursday 12 September.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard that on the evening of Thursday 16 March 2023, a 21 year-old woman noticed Rooney leave her place of work in Southsea and wait outside. When she left work shortly after, he followed her as she walked home.

The woman again noticed him waiting outside her workplace on Monday 27 March 2023, and he again proceeded to follow her home, causing her to call her friends who agreed to meet her at a nearby shop on Elm Grove. Once she met her friends, Rooney stopped following and left the area.

Both encounters were distressing for the woman and she subsequently reported them to the police.

Portsmouth Investigation Team launched an investigation, led by PC Hannah Kelleher. Rooney’s behaviour was captured on CCTV and he was later identified and interviewed. He was subsequently arrested and charged with stalking involving serious alarm/distress.

Rooney pled not guilty and maintained that his seeming to follow her was coincidental, but following a trial at Portsmouth Crown Court this week, a jury convicted him of the offence.

He has been bailed to appear at the same court for sentencing on Friday 29 November.

PC Lucy Hallin and PC Hannah Kelleher from the Portsmouth Investigation centre said “We would like to commend the courage of the victim in this case.

Hampshire and IOW Constabulary have a strong stance on tackling violence against women and girls and will continue to relentlessly pursue those who commit offences.”

We take all reports of this nature extremely seriously. If you feel you may be a victim of stalking, you can report this to us by calling 101 or online via Report a crime | Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary

Not everyone who has been affected by stalking or abuse has the confidence to report to police. There are support services out there that can offer help to you, completely independent of the police, should you need support. For more information on which agencies near you can provide you with support, please visit our website:  https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/sh/stalking-harassment/support-victims-harassment/

If a crime is in progress, or you feel in immediate danger, always call 999.