Man who stalked woman over Instagram convicted at court

Friday, August 8, 2025

We want to tell you about a man called Joshua Snape.

Over a six-day period in 2023 he stalked a complete stranger over social media, sending her sinister messages and unsolicited images of his genitals.

After days of being harassed, being sent unnerving messages and pleading with the stalker to stop, the brave victim managed to identify who Snape was and reported him to the police.

We arrested 30-year-old Snape, charged him and put him before the courts.

Before going into more detail about that, we just wanted to share the victim’s impact statement with you in full. We have done this with the victim’s permission to fully highlight the debilitating impact online stalking can have on the life of the victim, and to hopefully encourage other people who find themselves in a similar situation to come forward.

In a statement to the court, the victim wrote: “The day the stalking started to happen; I was in constant worry of what would happen if I went out alone. Before reporting this, I would still go out but watch behind my back to make sure I had no one following me which made me feel like I was going insane in my own head.

“Before I reported the stalking case, I was losing myself as I thought that I was over thinking the whole situation. But as soon as I reported this, my worries came to reality, I wouldn't leave the house just to take a walk with my dog, I would make sure all doors were locked, and I was constantly looking out the window to see if this person was stood outside. I would wait for my partner to return home just so I could go outside and not feel like I was being attacked just for stepping out my house.

“This caused me to have a lot of nightmares, which caused me so much stress that I feared my life. I ended up staying up for most of the nights because the nightmares scared me that much.

“I was constantly flaring up from the stress that was caused, I had anxiety attacks that happened whenever they wanted to. I felt like I was in a black cloud and there was no way out because of one person who made me feel so small and alone as I was too afraid to leave the house. I felt locked in my own mind.

“I ended up being diagnosed with anxiety and was also tested for depression.

“I lost friends because of this as I wouldn't go and see them, which made me feel more alone and uncomfortable.

“This whole ongoing situation made me think awful things because I thought it would never stop.

“The gut-wrenching feeling I had when a new friend's request would pop up, left me thinking I cannot do this anymore as I just wanted it to stop.

“The longer the case went on the longer I felt more scared that I could one day see him out in the streets. The thought of having to force myself to go into work and try and do daily tasks was and still is a massive struggle.

“Even to this day, I still feel that awful stomach drop when I leave the house alone, I still get flare ups, I still have anxiety attacks. I still wonder why me? Why would someone ruin another person’s life for what?

“I believe that there should be something more than a restraining order put in place, so Joshua Snape doesn't do this to any other person. I believe he needs to realise the damage that it has caused me over the time period. This has been the worst time of my life, and it's only just getting back on track.”

To give you some context about this case, below is a summary of Snape’s offending.

The victim was first contacted by Snape, who used his real name on that occasion, on Facebook in February 2021. She had no idea who Snape was and so ignored the message, but he continued to message her throughout 2021.

On 19th October 2023, the victim received a message on Instagram from an account user she did not recognise. The message read: “Hi beautiful” and then disclosed which town she was from. That information was not displayed on her social media account.

The unknown user then sent a message narrowing down the location of exactly where the victim lived.

Later that evening she received an image of erect genitalia. Within the photograph she remembered seeing some black bedding with green leaves on it.

When she responded asking him to stop, the unknown user responded asking if she wanted more images. When she again asked him to stop, unknown user responded asking if she wanted to see a video. It was at that point the victim blocked the unknown user and deleted the messages.

The following day the victim had taken her dog for a walk in the local area. When she returned home, she received a message from the Instagram account from a second account she did not recognise stating he had just seen her with her dog, describing the breed of the dog and the colour of the dog lead.

Not recognising the account, the victim asked where she had seen her. The second unknown user responded with the correct location. When the victim asked what him what she was wearing, he again responded with the correct information.

The victim received a further message the same evening asking what she was doing. The second unknown user then sent a picture of his face, which was nothing like the image of his profile picture. He then sent a messaging saying he was thinking about the victim, before sending her an image of erect genitalia.

The victim recognised the same bedding as was in the image sent by the first unknown user.

When the victim responding asking him to stop, the second unknown user sent another image of his genitalia and asked if she wanted to see a video. He then sent six further images of his genitalia and five images of his face.

The victim then blocked the second unknown user on Instagram.

On 22nd October 2023, while stood outside a nightclub the victim received an Instagram message from someone using the name Joshua Snape, stating he had just seen her. The account pictures were the same as the ones used on the first and second unknown user accounts. After briefly exchanging messages with the account, the victim received an image of erect genitalia. The victim recognised the bedding from previous images that had been sent to her.

After pleading with Snape to leave her alone and stating that he had messaged her from multiple accounts, she blocked the ‘Joshua Snape’ account.

On 23rd October 2023 the victim received an Instagram message from a account she did not recognise stating he had just seen her get off the bus. When she asked where she had gotten off, the third unknown user responded with the correct location.

The victim ran home and sent a message back stating: “Will you just leave me alone. You are petrifying me now.” She then blocked the third unknown user account on Instagram.

She then used social media to find Snape had been sending unwanted messages to other girls from the same Instagram.

Snape was arrested at his work in Accrington on 15th December 2023.

We searched his address in Manchester Road, Hapton, and found the same bedding as in the pictures he had sent to the victim. We also linked Snape to all the social media accounts which had contacted the victim.

Snape was charged with stalking involving serious alarm / distress and pleaded guilty when he appeared before Blackburn Magistrates Court earlier this year.

He returned to the same court on Monday (4th August) where he was sentenced to 12 weeks in custody, which was suspended for 12 months. He was also made subject of a 12-month community order, told to complete 14 rehabilitation activity requirement days, 200 hours unpaid work and pay £199 in costs. A two-year restraining order was also imposed.

DC Louise Slinger, of Burnley CID, said: “Snape’s sinister and fixated behaviour left the victim understandably terrified and constantly looking over her shoulder. Although it only occurred over a relatively short period of time, it has had a profound and long-lasting impact on her.

“No woman should have to tolerate behaviour of this nature. And if this is happening to you or somebody you know, contact the police and we will protect you and do everything in our power to put the perpetrator before the courts.”

If you or somebody you know has been the victim of a crime, report it online via https://doitonline.lancashire.police.uk or call 101. In an emergency or if a crime is in progress always call 999.