37-Domestic Violence MURDERED: Clare Bernal

Transcript

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Hi Warriors, welcome to 1 in 3.

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I'm your host, ingrid.

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If you remember, back in my first episode I detailed a lot of the terminology involved with domestic violence.

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One of those terms was stalking.

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This is definitely an under-recognized form of domestic violence.

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Similar to other violent situations, the behavior typically escalates, and that is the case in the story of Claire Bernal.

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According to the Domestic Violence Crisis Center, domestic violence victims who experience both physical abuse and stalking behaviors have a higher risk for homicide 76% of all domestic violence homicide victims had also been stalked in the year before their murder.

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Claire Bernal was originally from Tunbridge Wells, kent, united Kingdom.

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In her youth, claire was always fascinated with makeup and fashion.

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While in Kent she took courses focusing on beauty consulting and theater makeup.

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Barely in her 20s she moved to Dulwich London and secured a job with the luxury department store Harvey Nichols.

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Naturally, she settled into her position as a skincare expert.

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She was a beautiful young woman living a good life in downtown London with her two flatmates.

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Michael Peck was a 30-year-old man who had also recently moved to London, holding a dual citizenship in Czech and Slovakia.

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Michael was a former Slovakian soldier in Czech and Slovakia.

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Michael was a former Slovakian soldier After working at the American Embassy in Bratislava, he acquired a student visa and moved to London in 2003.

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He found a position in security for Harvey Nichols in 2004.

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He asked Claire out for their first date in January 2005.

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Now Michael was married but going through a divorce.

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His wife remained in Slovakia.

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Initially, claire appreciated Michael's attention, but he lavished it on a bit too much and very early in the relationship the two had only gone on three dates over the course of three weeks.

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In that short time span, michael had already become very jealous and controlling.

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He asked Claire to spend all her free time with him, foregoing plans with friends.

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He even suggested she not go visit family.

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While Claire viewed the short relationship as carefree and casual, michael wasted no time professing his love for her.

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All of it made Claire very uncomfortable and left her feeling suffocated.

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Following a trip to Slovakia in February, michael returned to London and had Claire meet him at the airport.

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She brought him back to her flat with the intention of sending him to complete his journey home alone, but Michael refused to leave.

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He insisted he needed to stay the night so he wouldn't have to drag his luggage across London.

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He finally agreed to go to the train station only because Claire said she would walk him there.

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But once the two arrived, michael refused to get on the train there.

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But once the two arrived, michael refused to get on the train.

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This stunt, along with the rest of Michael's actions leading up to it, was enough for Claire.

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She officially ended the relationship.

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Claire turned and walked back to her flat, with Michael following steps behind.

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She ran in and left him standing outside, and that's where he remained for the next two hours.

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While he continued to call and text her, one of Claire's flatmates went outside and attempted to convince Michael to go home.

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At that point, michael began verbally assaulting and shouting at her.

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Eventually, michael did leave, only to return the following day with flowers.

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Claire did not speak to him, nor did she accept the flowers.

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The gift was left outside for a week.

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While at work, michael would be seen staring at Claire.

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He used the mirrors to watch her movements.

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Michael would approach Claire at her counter to ask her to take him back.

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He loved her and he knew she loved him too.

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Michael involved their co-workers, asking them to talk to Claire on his behalf.

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She pleaded with him to stop.

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She told him that she in fact did not love him, to which he replied yes, you do.

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You stupid little girl.

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All of this went along with upward of 50 text messages each day.

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Those messages started with we were meant to be together, then evolved to I will kill myself.

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And progressed to if I can't have you, no one will.

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Michael followed Claire to and from work.

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He would take the same train as her.

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Claire was scared.

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She couldn't sleep and began to dread work.

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She was chronically late and distracted.

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She was embarrassed over the ordeal and felt she could not report it to the police as Michael had not physically assaulted her.

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On March 30th, while on her way home, claire noticed Michael waiting for her on the train platform.

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She ran and jumped on the train in an attempt to escape him, but Michael was able to get on the same carriage.

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At the train stop, claire jumped off and ran.

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Michael easily caught up to her and knocked her down.

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Now Claire threatened to report him to the police if he didn't leave her alone.

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Michael countered by saying he would kill her if she did.

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As the next train arrived, claire quickly jumped onto it.

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Michael pounded on the windows as it pulled away.

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These events prompted Claire to finally report Michael's actions to the head of security at Harvey Nichols.

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Review of the security tapes quickly confirmed Claire's accusations.

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Michael was moved to a different floor in the department store.

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It didn't stop his abuse, though.

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Harvey Nichols suspended him and encouraged Claire to report his behavior to the police.

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She did.

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During the Harvey Nichols investigation it was discovered that Michael had asked a colleague what the maximum sentence for murder was in the United Kingdom.

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He was immediately fired and arrested.

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Because Michael had a previously clean record, he was released on bail with a condition he would not attempt to contact Claire.

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Soon he was found standing outside her flat again.

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Claire was forced to move.

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She changed her phone number, but Michael was resourceful.

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He was discovered outside her new home.

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He was once again arrested and charged, this time with threatening to kill.

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You don't want to know, but I'm going to tell you anyway.

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He was released on bail again.

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Quick interjection here Bail in the United Kingdom is not like the United States.

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There is no monetary charge.

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They are simply released depending on the offense and the previous record.

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There are certain terms that may be set and the accused is required to return to court when told.

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In the United States a person may be released on bail, which involves either payment of a set amount or using a promissory note.

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The specifics of bail vary from state to state.

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So what did Michael do while out on bail?

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For the second time In June, he went to Slovakia and spent a significant amount of time at a firing range.

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He took a gun training class and passed exams to eventually be granted a license.

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He purchased a handgun and registered it in Slovakia.

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Once everything was in order, michael returned to London via ferry and coach.

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Security never searched and was never alerted to Michael's carefully concealed weapon, and Claire was never notified.

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Michael was out on bail, returning to court six weeks after his last appearance, on August 31st.

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Michael pleaded guilty to harassment.

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The charges related to threatening to kill were drops.

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Following his plea hearing, michael was once again you guessed it released on bail.

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While preparations began for his sentencing hearing.

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Learning of the latest details, claire felt relieved.

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She told her mother, patricia Thank God it's over.

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Now.

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Finally, people will believe me and I can get on with my life.

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Just two weeks later, on September 13, 2005, claire and her colleague were nearing the end of their shifts.

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It was 7.50 pm and the store closed at 8.

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The two were tidying their counter as there were only a few people left in the area.

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Claire's colleague noticed a shadow moving out of the corner of her eye moving out of the corner of her eye.

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As she focused on the man standing behind Claire, michael held up a gun and shot her in the back of the head.

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Claire fell to the ground where he shot her three more times in the face.

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He then turned the gun on himself.

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With Patricia Bernal and others campaigning, a new law was passed in 2012 outlawing stalking and making it a stand-alone offense.

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Prime Minister David Cameron, who signed the law, was quoted saying it makes life a living hell for victims breaking up relationships, forcing the victims to move house, making them feel they are being watched 24 hours a day.

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This is why we are explicitly criminalizing stalking to make sure that justice is done, protect the victims and show beyond doubt that stalking is a crime.

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Thank you for listening.

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I will be back with another story for you.

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Until then, stay strong and, wherever you are in your journey, always remember you are not alone.

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1in3 is a .5 Pinoy production Music written and performed by Tim Crow.

37-Domestic Violence MURDERED: Clare Bernal

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