Obsessive stalker ordered to stay away from victim for 25 years

Isabel Hayes

A man who became obsessed with a woman he first met years ago when she was working in his local pharmacy has been ordered to stay away from her for a period of 25 years.

Lukasz Bykowski (42) pleaded guilty to one count of harassing the woman on dates in March 2018 when she was working in Trinity College Dublin. The court heard Bykowksi, of no fixed abode in Dublin, first met the woman when she was working as a shop assistant in Boots pharmacy in Navan in 2014.

The woman told gardaí Bykowski seemed “obsessed” with her then, would come into the shop frequently to see her and attempted several times to befriend her on social media.

A number of years later, in 2018, the woman was working in Trinity College when she received chocolates and flowers on St Valentine's Day. There was no message or name, and she did not know who had sent them.

A few weeks later, the woman was told by colleagues that a man had come to her office a number of times over a two-day period claiming to be her boyfriend and demanding to see her schedule. One colleague called security as they were concerned by Bykowski's behaviour and his reluctance to leave.

The woman watched CCTV footage in the security office and recognised Byskowski from when she had worked in Boots. Gardaí were alerted and Bykowski was arrested a few days later. He spat and said the woman was a “f**king whore” when he was arrested.

Pieter Le Vert BL, prosecuting, said Bykowski told gardaí the woman used to “flirt” with him when she worked in Boots and he was of the opinion she was giving him “seducing” looks. She eventually told him not to come back to the store.

The court heard the woman never replied to Bykowski's messages on social media. In 2018, he googled her and found out where she was working before going to her office. He told gardaí he sent her the chocolates and flowers on Valentine's Day.

A victim impact statement was handed into court, but not read out. Mr Le Vert said the harassment had a “chilling” effect on the woman and her self-confidence was badly affected. It impacted on her relationship and had a profound impact on her family, who were worried about her.

She said she was very concerned Bykowksi tracked down her office, which was difficult to find on the college campus and she felt exposed and vulnerable in her workplace. She had to lock her office door for some time.

Bykowski has eight previous convictions. Defence counsel said he has serious psychiatric issues.

Sentencing him on Friday, Judge Pauline Codd said the harassment came on the back of “previous intrusions of her workplace”. She said Bykowski had made romantic proclamations and clearly heightened the woman's concerns.

She noted the harassment was “deeply upsetting and unsettling” for the woman, who was worried going to work.

Taking into account mitigating factors, the judge handed down a two-year sentence and suspended it on a number of conditions, including that Bykowski follows all medical instructions in relation to his mental health.

She put an injunction in place ordering Bykowski to have no contact with the woman whatsoever for a period of 25 years, adding the woman “has to be given peace of mind”.