Dariusz Sicinski, a 33-year-old resident of Robertson Road in Cheltenham, was arrested and charged with stalking causing serious alarm and distress. Sicinski appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday where he admitted to the offence.
Details
According to the police, Sicinski had repeatedly targeted a 16-year-old girl as she waited for the bus to go to college, causing her significant fear and distress. The victim promptly reported the matter to the authorities.
In response, officers from Wiltshire Police’s Missing and Exploitation Unit (MEU) accompanied the victim to her bus stop the next day, where they were able to apprehend and arrest Sicinski as he approached the girl in his van.
DC Niall Maidment from the MEU stated, “This was an escalating case of stalking involving a 16-year-old girl who was repeatedly targeted as she tried to catch the bus to college, causing her significant fear and distress.”
What You Need to Know
The police have emphasised that they treat stalking and the targeting of young people with the utmost seriousness, and will take decisive action to protect victims and bring offenders before the courts.
Reducing and Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls is one of the Chief Constable’s three new priorities as of the beginning of April, and targeting stalking and harassment is a key feature of that initiative.
The MEU was launched in January this year with a focus on locating missing children and understanding the factors that lead to missing episodes, as well as recognising and preventing child and adult exploitation, group-based offending, county network offending, and modern slavery and human trafficking.