"Stalking became a crime in the UK in 2012 when the Government changed the law to cover actions including following or spying on someone.
Cyberstalking - such as inundating someone with unwanted messages online - is also covered.
Before the Protections of Freedom Act made it a specific crime, police had to wait until stalkers committed another crime - such as harassment or breaching a restraining order - before they acted.
Harassment includes bullying and violent threats to the victim or their family, whereas stalking covers any kind of unwanted attention - such as sending unsolicited gifts or following someone".
