Stalking victim says UK police did not take her ‘years of hell' seriously

The Guardian

14 hours ago

A travel influencer stalked by a British man who travelled to her Indonesian home and threatened to kidnap her has strongly criticised police over the way her case was handled.
Alexandra Saper, who is from the US, said authorities in the UK and Indonesia did not initially take her 'two and a half years of hell' seriously and she was told by one British police officer to quit social media.
She said her stalker, Rob Keating, 39, was allowed to roam freely while the burden fell on her to 'hide, run and relentlessly follow up with police'.
Saper said: 'For months, I pleaded with the UK and US embassies, countless police officers, politicians, public figures and the press to help me. I just wanted my life back, but he was still roaming freely, searching for me.'
She added: 'The world's not set up for female victims and minorities to be listened to and believed. I think that's a really hard thing to live with. That's what's so long-lasting about this trauma. It's the shattered belief that if something bad happens, someone will protect me.'
Keating subjected Saper to incessant messages in which he shared sexual fantasies, including that he would 'go Fifty Shades of Grey' on her – a reference to the erotic bestseller – and wanted to abduct her.
Jurors found Keating guilty of stalking after a trial at Portsmouth crown court, Hampshire, earlier this year. The court was told he went to Bali and visited bars and restaurants close to Saper's home, messaging her to say: 'You're never getting rid of me.' When he returned to the UK, he was arrested and police found rope in his luggage.
Saper's complaints came after survivors of stalking, campaigners for women's safety and heads of law enforcement raised concerns over continuing failings by police in England and Wales to tackle perpetrators and protect victims.
They said that while some forces are doing innovative work on stalking, others are not improving quickly enough, leading to a 'patchwork' service and victims facing a 'postcode lottery'.
Last week, a 71-year-old man from Berkshire, Phil Appleton, was ordered not to contact the actor Anna Friel or go to the area where she lives after admitting to stalking her. He is to be sentenced next month.
On Friday, Saper appeared in court after flying to the UK from Bali to give a statement to court as part of Keating's sentencing.
In the statement, she said: 'In the two and a half years between when I first reported to the police and when they finally pressed charges, I have been forced to carry unreasonable burdens, navigate bureaucratic red tape and muster resilience in the face of persistent obstacles to justice.
'My case was transferred between more than a dozen police officers and departments. Evidence was lost multiple times, or never passed on during transfers. Each time, it was like starting over.
'Rob even harassed the female officers assigned to my case, one of whom was removed for her protection; but after that, my case sat unassigned for months, and my emails to the police were left ignored, while he continued to freely stalk me and terrorise me.
'It was only after two and a half years of this hell, when he posted flights to return to Bali, photos and videos of me, and the words 'Round Two' that he was finally charged with stalking.'
Speaking outside court, Saper said police officers in Indonesia and the UK 'diminished' her case and she was subjected to 'victim blaming'. She said UK police told her: 'Well, just stop posting on Instagram.'
She said: 'There were so many times where we'd leave a report and then not hear anything, follow up and there was no record of the report.'
Saper said her case was transferred from a Sussex police force to Hampshire police at one point as Keating moved from one neighbouring county to the other. It led to another delay, she said. 'That was horrific. That was outrageous.'
DI Katt Green, from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, said: 'It's important to remember that our inquiries involved liaising with other forces and the logistics of engaging and supporting a victim who was abroad.
'There was also a prolonged period during 2024 when all parties involved were outside of the UK, which limited the inquiries that could be undertaken during this time.'
Sussex police have also been approached for comment. Keating will be sentenced on 9 October.
In the UK, the National Stalking Helpline is on 0808 802 0300 or email via their inquiry form. In the US, resources are available at stalkingawareness.org.