Hunt for pervert stalker targeting Wigan salon

A perverted stalker has been bombarding the staff at a Wigan hair and beauty salon with vile telephone messages for more than THREE YEARS.
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The two women who work at the Petite Boutique on Standish High Street say they are living in fear and have increased security at the business, concerned that his harassment may escalate into something physical.

Police are investigating the disgusting and suggestive calls - which now run into three figures - although a breakthrough has been difficult because the caller, who talks with a deep and quiet voice, has always withheld the number.

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This week owner/beautician Sophie Fugette and self-employed hair stylist Charlotte Brooks appealed for anyone who knows who might be the cause of this torment to contact police so it can be brought to an end.

Petite Boutique in StandishPetite Boutique in Standish
Petite Boutique in Standish

Charlotte said: “We are frightened and we are sick of this. It’s got to the point where we have security locks on the salon door so anyone visiting has to be let in. We have also installed a panic button.

“He must be getting some kind of sick enjoyment out of this. We don’t know if he’s a psychopath and this is just the start. It’s a really worry that things could get even worse.

“On one call he said something quickly which suggested that he wanted to meet me or had, in fact, already done so.”

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Sophie said: “We are having to take precautions all the time. It is very disturbing.

The salon workers understandably didn't want their pictures' being published with the articleThe salon workers understandably didn't want their pictures' being published with the article
The salon workers understandably didn't want their pictures' being published with the article

“At the beginning and end of work we will either walk together to our cars or we get lifts now because we don’t want to be on our own.”

Charlotte added: “He seems to know when we are in. It has happened on a Sunday when we’ve been in the salon but not advertised it. Which makes you wonder whether he’s watching.”

The repulsive and graphic phone calls began in the summer of 2018 and for a long time the women let it go. There would be perhaps a call once every month or two.

But then they started to increase in number.

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And then last month the man rang no fewer than 30 times in one day.

Charlotte said: “That was when we brought the police in. If we didn’t answer the phone or put it down on his messages, he would just ring straight back.

“We can leave the phone off the hook but that stops customers getting through.

“The police gave us crime numbers but said that because there was no way of tracing the number, there was not a lot they could do.”

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Sophie added: “We have recorded some of the calls and offered them to the police as evidence but they told us to hold onto them for now.”

The women think the caller may be in his late 20s or early 30s. He has also been anonymously ringing another local business, although his remarks to staff there have reportedly been more innuendo-laden than out-and-out sexually repellant.

Charlotte said: “We know it is definitely the same man. We recognise his voice of old now, I’m sad to say.

“We would ask that if anyone knows who is doing this to us, or has suspicions even, please contact the police. It is extremely distressing.”

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Anyone with information is asked to ring police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. The crime number is 0026335/21

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