Challenging Attitudes
Clare and Tricia BernalA Mother's Story
Clare was a very gentle girl, shy but popular. She loved writing poetry and drawing. She had endless patience with younger children and would create little plays, dressing up and making up their faces. They adored her. Aged 18, she studied as a beauty consultant, enrolling in a Theatre make-up course at Shepperton Film Studios. She looked for film work without success before accepting a job at Selfridges in London promoting ‘La Prairie’, a leading skin care product. She loved her work interacting with people and the buzz of London life. Her confidence grew as clients returned, touched by her sweet and gentle nature.
In November 2004, aged 21, she decided to move to London and share a flat in Dulwich Village with 3 colleagues from work.
In the following January Clare began seeing Michael Pech, a security guard at Harvey Nichols. He was a former soldier from Slovakia and had ben employed as an armed guard at the American Embassy in Bratislava. He often came to her counter to chat and one day asked her out.
He was quiet, a little older, good looking, polite and, unlike her previous friendships, appeared to be very committed. However, his behaviour quickly became intense which made Clare feel uncomfortable. He talked of love and them sharing a life together. He soon became possessive and controlling and resented the close friendship Clare shared with one of her flatmates.
Pech had arranged a trip to Bratislava to visit his family, so after only 3 weeks of dating Clare, he insisted she saw him off at Stansted and be there when he returned. She wasn’t happy as it meant a long train journey early in the morning but she agreed as it seemed to matter so much to him.
While Pech was away Clare showed me his picture. I thought he looked hard and I asked her if there was anything she didn’t like about him. She spoke of his possessiveness but never did I feel Clare was in love and she was very happy socialising whilst he was away.
After 3 weeks he returned and Clare met him at the airport. The following day she phoned me. She was very upset and said that he had persuaded her to let him stay over that night, saying it was late and his bag was too heavy to traipse across London. The following morning she asked him to leave. She needed her own space and her flat mates were unhappy with her bringing him back. Reluctantly he agreed to catch a train providing she saw him off. The first train arrived and he refused to board it. When the second came and went, Clare became angry - she was cold and tired and said she would leave him there, but he followed her back home. Clare collected his bag and left it outside the front door, telling him to go away. He refused and then became abusive when her flat mates came out and told him to go. Finally, after 2 hours, he left. Clare told me she had had enough and wanted to finish with him. They had dated for just 3 weeks.
The next day she texted him to say she did not want to continue their relationship. There then followed a barrage of calls, texts and pleas from him demanding she change her mind. The following day at work he used every excuse to approach her counter - embarrassing her in front of customers and that night he followed her home, offering flowers and apologising for his behaviour. Clare accepted his apology but told him she would not be changing her mind and did not want his flowers. Pech refused to take them back so she left them outside to make it clear the relationship was over.
He then began harassing her with up to 50 texts and phone calls a day, at all hours, declaring undying love. He would use mirrors at work to have sight of her and, as a security guard, he would place himself so he could watch her for hours on end. He pleaded to anyone that would listen to speak to Clare. He followed her in her lunch breaks and on her way home. Clare was so upset by it she would text her flatmates to meet her off the train so that she wasn’t on her own with him. He showed total denial of the break-up. He even texted her suggesting how they might celebrate their anniversary.
His messages became angry and more urgent. He threatened to kill himself and sent a text ‘If I can’t have you, no-one else will’. On another occasion he followed her through Knightsbridge. As Clare ran away he shouted after her ‘You stupid little girl, you know you love me!’. Pech blamed the flat mates for turning Clare against him and openly intimidated one of them by watching her for nearly three hours as she worked at her counter. Increasingly the girls became angry and started to pressure Clare into reporting him. They were not only concerned for Clare but their lives were also being affected. Clare felt it would make the situation worse if she reported him and didn’t want to get Pech in to trouble.
The atmosphere between Clare and the girls became intolerable. Clare felt isolated both at home and work and was concerned people were talking about her. We met up and she was very tearful. She said she wasn’t sleeping at night. I became more worried about her but she was determined Pech was not going to spoil her life. Shortly afterterwards, as she waited to catch her train home, he appeared again. Clare said ‘If you don’t leave me alone, I’ll report you’ and started to walk along the platform. He pushed her in the back towards the line and Clare distanced herself from him. He followed her onto a train and sat down opposite her. He then came close to her face and said “If you report me - I will kill you”. Clare began crying and said she wouldn’t if he left her alone. He stroked her face and left.
Clare was very shaken up but refused to leave London saying he was not going to change her life. The thought that he could possibly carry out his threat was never considered. We believed he was being highly manipulative, scaring Clare into changing her mind. She did not want to antagonise him further and decided to wait and see if he would leave her alone.
A few days later, one of her flatmates took the matter in her own hands and talked to Head of Security at Harvey Nichols. Pech was told to stay away from Clare but took little notice and still found excuses to approach her. He was then suspended and Clare was advised to report him to the Police. Reluctantly, she agreed.
After further harassment Pech was sacked and issued with a molestation order and told not to go anywhere near Clare’s home or her place of work. A week later he was seen again outside her new flat but by the time the police arrived he had disapeared. No action was taken. Three days later he reappeared and the police arrested him. He smiled at Clare as he was hand cuffed and taken away. Pech was subsequently charged under Section 2 of the Protection from Harassment Act and was held in Custody for 8 days at Belmarsh Prison for breaking bail conditions. He was told to return to Court in August to face the charges. Unbeknown to us or the police, he then returned home to Slovakia, retrained in the use of firearms, acquired a gun certificate and legally bought a gun, which he then smuggled back into England in his luggage.
Time went by and there were no further sightings of Pech. Clare stopped looking over her shoulder and life started to return to normal. At the end of August, a week before the Court hearing, Pech said he was prepared to plead guilty to the charge of Harassment but not to ‘Threats to Kill’. On the advice of the Prosecutor Clare then dropped the charge of ‘Threats to Kill’ as the CPS said it would be be harder to prove and prolong the case. Clare’s first thought was of relief now that she didn’t have to appear before Pech in court to give evidence. When the trial was over, Pech was released on bail pending sentencing in September. Clare said to me - ”Mum I’m so happy. Finally I can put this whole thing to bed and get on with my life”.
On Tuesday, the 13th September, 10 minutes before closing time, Pech - high on cocaine, entered the Harvey Nichols store, walked up behind Clare and shot her in the head four times.
He then turned the gun on himself.
I truly believe that with a little foresight, Clare’s death could so easily have been prevented. After Clare’s death, through communication with Clare’s work colleagues and friends, I discovered the true extent of Pech’s instability and his irrational, delusional and obsessive behaviour. Clare’s flatmates thought he was dangerous and capable of violence. The head of security of Harvey Nichols so feared for Clare’s safety that he had put together a file of statements taken from everyone who knew Clare and Pech. The file was offered to the police but it appears it was declined– a missed opportunity for an early risk assessment.
Stalking is taken far more seriously in other countries and considered high risk. Thorough risk assessment is carried out and protection for the victim is paramount. One of the most dangerous times for the Victim is after the perpetrator comes out of prison. Thiss was not taken into account in Clare’s case.
I truly believe the system failed to deliver justice for Clare but whilst I cannot bring her back, I am determined to do whatever I can to ensure other victims of stalking and harassment are better protected, that people will listen - and prevent stalking victims having their lives destroyed or taken away - leaving family and friends devastated. Much has improved in the past 4 years but there is still evidence of unhelpful behaviour and indifferent attitudes amongst many police officers and other agency workers.
Protection against Stalking is campaigning to increase awareness of the dangers of stalking and will work to improve and develop support services for victims. This will include the placement of a stalking specialist in every Family Justice Centre, delivering specialist training in stalking and risk assessment and maintaining a web site and helpline for victims. We believe that by working closely with the Police and other agencies in increasing awareness and understanding of stalking and harassment that we will achieve greater protection for victims.
Related articles:
1. Out of the Shadows – A Duty of Care Clare’s Story/ Rana’s story
2. Clare Bernal - The National Police Improvement Agency Training Document
4. Clare Bernal – The Coroner's Inquest. Comment by Ray Donelan