LIBERAL Democrats today backed Janet Anderson's campaign to criminalise stalking.

The Rossendale and Darwen Labour MP has introduced two bills into Parliament in a bid to outlaw the intimidation of people, mainly women, by obsessive pests.

Her stance was given Liberal Democrat backing at the party's Brighton conference today by its women's affairs spokeswoman Diana Maddock.

She said: "Many people still have the impression that stalking is little more than a nuisance, affecting only celebrities who have in some way forfeited their right to privacy yet the truth is much more complex.

"The law in this area is hopelessly inadequate. In fact, as far as the law is concerned there is no such thing as stalking."

She contrasted the cases of Tracey Sant, who got a stalker convicted of causing her grievous harm, with that of Michelle Bent, who lost a similar case, to show the problems of using the current law to tackle the problem. Of the man in the Bent case she said: "The man was charged with grievous bodily harm. What he actually did was stalk her.

"He should have been charged with stalking or molestation.

"A number of attempts have been made in Parliament to legislate against stalking but every time so far the government have scuppered them."

Mrs Maddock branded the Government as sluggish in finally accepting that legislation was needed.

She said: "Stalking legislation must be made a priority in the next session of Parliament and not lost among the government's pre-election gimmicks.

"It could and should have been done last year. Can you imagine what it must feel like to know someone is always watching you, to be afraid to go anywhere alone and to lose your freedom?"

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