Artist, 81, known as 'The Original Banksy': jailed for 4-years for stalking former model & ex-girlfriend

A reader, Kevin Brenan, asked NV to follow up on the sentencing of the octinarian artist Walter Kershaw and he says:

'I thought the sentence was harsh for a man of 81. I hope he appeals it.

'I also hope he is in an open prison rather than Strangeways.

'I am sure he would like to hear from you.

'I always thought his work was very original.

'It may help to find out where he is. Hopefully within travelling distance.

'Its difficult when you get in the grip of an obsession. You can see the danger to yourself.'

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As a consequence of Kevin's e-mail above N.V. contacted a retired prison officer and he suggested we talk to Walter's solicitor to try to get a request for a visit, but Walter seems not to have used a local firm of solicitors and it has not yet been possible to get hold of them. We would agree that the setence seems harsh, but we didn't attend the trial. We were reassured that in recent times owing to the tendency of courts to extend sentences there had been an increase in the prison population of elderly jail-birds and this had led to the need fot the provision of special facilies for older people. Another worry we have is that the complainants in this case tend to repeat the diffficulties they have in moving around the town were they all live without bumping into Walter, and they continually say they are forced to trudge across muddy fields and spend a fortune on taxi fares in order to avoid meeting him in the village of Littleborough near Rochdale. When some time ago I did discuss this difficulty with Walter he pointed out that Littleborough was a small place and it was hard to avoid bumping into local people. As his solicitor has argued in his defence Walter: 'There is no offer of violence and no physical intimidation.'

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For the benefit of our readers we reproduce below a report by Jacob Thorburn for the Mailonline published on 30 April 2021:

A popular British painter has been jailed for four years after a 'predatory stalking campaign' dating back to 2008.

Walter Kershaw, 81, who was dubbed Britain's 'original Banksy', repeatedly hounded Catherine Mitchell, 51, after their affair ended in 2007.

Rochdale-born Kershaw conducted a 'predatory' stalking campaign lasting 13 years, which included pursuing his ex-lover around their hometown and telling her she was beautiful.

The painter would also send life model Mitchell love letters and romantic cards and would drive slowly passed her home blowing kisses at her.

Despite Mitchell's best efforts, which included taking taxis around town and using muddy fields at the back of her home, she could not avoid her prolific stalker.

Kershaw was jailed for four years at Minshull Street Crown Court after admitting to breaching his restraining order and stalking.

The couple's relationship began in 2006, after former life model Mitchell asked 'unpredictable and controlling' Kershaw to paint her portrait.

The following year she broke up with Kershaw after she was hit by a motorbike and suffered life-threatening brain and leg injuries in a collision outside his gallery.

But Kershaw - who once counted George Best and Bob Monkhouse as friends - continued pursuing Miss Mitchell around the town and put an oil portrait in the front window of his art gallery in Littleborough, Greater Manchester.

The court heard how he would drive past Miss Mitchell's home on a regular basis, and would blow kisses towards her and also sent her love letters and cards.

He began to attend church where she and her mother were members of the congregation and appear regularly in their local supermarket.

When Miss Mitchell moved out of her mother's house into her own place, he would turn up on her doorstep uninvited and ask to take her out.

Police issued Miss Mitchell with a hand-held panic alarm and she used it when he turned up outside the house.

Eventually in January 2009 he was spoken to by police and warned not to contact her and in the following year Kershaw was instructed not to contact Miss Mitchell and her mother.

In 2013, the father of two was ordered to pay the two women compensation after he approached Ms Mitchell as she was sat in her car but in 2015 was given a suspended sentence for hounding her again.

He was eventually jailed for 26 weeks in 2017 after he approached Ms Mitchell at a Co-Op supermarket and tried to strike up a conversation with her saying: 'You've got a new cat and so have I.

'I think about you all the time. Let's pick up where we left off'.

But after being freed, Kershaw accosted her again over the Christmas period of 2018 when she was shopping in the town and told her: 'I adore you and I spent every day in prison thinking about you and I never meant any harm'.

The following year he was sentenced 20 weeks, suspended for 12 months and banned from contacting her for life, but in 2020 he twice flouted the order and was given another 12 weeks jail suspended for two years.

The latest incidents took place between July and August last year, just ten days after the suspended sentence was imposed.

In a statement to police Miss Mitchell who called Kershaw 'the Devil man' said she was so terrified of the artist she had to quit her home and subsequently spent £65,000 building an extension at the home of her mother Marjorie, 77, so she could move in with her.

Ms Mitchell said: 'Walter Kershaw has continued to stalk us relentless to the present day.

'The very fact he has dismissed the various restraining orders we have against him as mere folly is a sure sign that he only lives by his own rules in a self-centred untouchable world where the law is irrelevant.

'The last time he was sent to prison we felt free and it felt like a release from the perpetual panic and anguish which has sadly become a customary aspect of our lives.

'When he was in jail, no longer was it necessary to take expensive taxis or cross a muddy field as avoidance strategies.

'We desire to live our lives without the continuous worry for this arrogant, predatory person who has affected out peaceful lives for over a decade with his narcissistic attitude and behaviour.

'His behaviour is obsessive distressing, disturbing and alarming and we simply do not know where or when we will encounter him next.'

Kershaw had shot to fame in the 70s with his large-scale murals on houses and later was dubbed 'the Original Banksy' with his work displayed as far afield as Sao Paolo in Brazil.

In mitigation, defence lawyer Anthony Morris said: 'There does not seem to be anything done that is intentionally malicious.

'There is no offer of violence and no physical intimidation. From his point of view, he was trying to build bridges and was not consciously aware of the fact the victim was suffering from psychological distress.

'He lived in the hope that he could break down barriers and build a friendship again.'

But sentencing Judge Mark Savill told Kershaw: 'It is extremely sad to see a gentleman with a great skill as an artist before the court for such serious matters.

'Catherine was doing what any normal citizen should be allowed to do and yet you have caused very serious harm or distress.

'Your age does not justify your appalling behaviour in this case.

'Two women have had to suffer with their lives blighted and ruined by your selfish behaviour.

'The time has come where you must receive the message from this court that this behaviour cannot continue.'

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