Three women stalked by the same man say police ignored red flags that resulted in repeat offending. Callum Parslow, a far-right supporter who had already served time for stalking, was jailed earlier this month for attempted murder after a series of horrific offenses. Mercy Muroki, one of those speaking out against him, said she had “no doubt” he would have tried to kill her if he had her address.
The story follows the traumatic journey of three women—Mercy Muroki, Sara Manchipp, and Sophie (a pseudonym)—who were each targeted by Parslow from 2017 to 2023 through anonymous online accounts. He sent disturbing and graphic messages containing themes of rape, necrophilia, and violence.
Muroki, a political commentator and former GB News presenter, was subjected to racist and sexist messages from Parslow in 2023. One of the most disturbing messages contained a racist remark about her daughter, which Muroki described as deeply upsetting. Despite blocking the accounts, Parslow’s behavior only escalated, and his persistence left Muroki fearful for her safety.
“I could see his behaviour was escalating, and that every time I blocked him he was still going to find a new way to contact me and I was worried, where would that end?” Muroki reflected on her fear and concern about the ongoing threats.
West Mercia Police arrested Parslow in December 2023 on suspicion of racially or religiously aggravated harassment. However, Muroki was unaware of Parslow’s identity and felt that her concerns were dismissed by the police. “The police said he was a bit of a loner and didn’t have access to a car, so it was very unlikely that he would have the means to physically access me,” Muroki recalled, questioning the assessment made by officers.
In addition, she felt that some male officers were insensitive to the far-right content on Parslow’s account, downplaying its significance. At the time of his arrest, Muroki still feared for her safety. Despite the police downplaying the risk, Parslow went on to stab an asylum seeker, which was later ruled as an “undoubtedly a terrorist attack.”
On January 17, 2024, Parslow was sentenced to a minimum of 22 years and eight months in prison for attempted murder. He also pleaded guilty to charges related to Muroki’s case, which included a sexual offense and multiple counts of sending distressing communications.
This was not Parslow’s first conviction for stalking; he had previously been jailed in 2018 for 30 months for stalking 13 different women and sending sexually graphic and violent messages.
Two other victims, Sara Manchipp from Port Talbot and Sophie (a pseudonym), shared their shock at seeing Parslow’s new identity and reoffending after his release from prison. Sara expressed her disbelief, saying, “I was just totally flabbergasted that somebody who has caused so much torment and distress in our lives, could just come out of prison, have a new identity and just go on to reoffend.”
Both women felt they should have been notified about Parslow’s name change and reoffending. “I was upset and angry as I feel we had a right to know,” said Sara, highlighting the continued trauma victims carry even after the perpetrator’s release.
Sophie, who now suffers from PTSD, explained how the entire ordeal continues to trigger her anxiety. “The police completely dismissed me when I reported his behaviour in 2017 and again it feels like my safety has been ignored,” she said, emphasizing how the police’s inaction further traumatized her.
The Home Office recently introduced new stalking measures, including amendments to Stalking Protection Orders, which require police to be informed of name or address changes. However, Mercy, Sara, and Sophie believe that these changes are insufficient. They argue that more robust legislation is needed to protect victims and notify them of the identity and behavior of perpetrators like Parslow.
Katy Bourne, the police and crime commissioner for Sussex, who has also been a victim of stalking herself, echoed the victims’ concerns. She said, “There are high harm indicators—like online exposure, previous offending and far-right material. If the police had really looked and joined up those dots, they’d see a much greater pattern of risk and potential harm.”
Bourne supported the call for a stalking register, which would enable the police to monitor perpetrators of stalking and ensure victim safety, much like the approach used with sexual offenses. Although the government has debated the creation of such a register, it was rejected during the introduction of the domestic abuse bill in 2021.
The Home Office has emphasized that stalking cases need more attention and has announced six new measures aimed at tackling the issue. These measures include Right to Know statutory guidance to help victims identify stalkers online. Still, many, including Bourne, believe the current laws fall short in protecting victims and preventing repeat offenders.
West Mercia Police stated that they carried out a “progressive” investigation into Parslow, praising the bravery of his victims. They encouraged anyone dissatisfied with the service to make a formal complaint.
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