1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: Hi, everyone, we have some exciting news to share. ABC 2 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: News Studios has turned Caroline Brega's story from Betrayal season 3 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:10,240 Speaker 1: four into a docuseries. You'll get to meet the people involved, 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 1: You'll hear from people who have never spoken before, and 5 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: you get to see where this story took place. We 6 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,279 Speaker 1: are so proud and excited to share it with you all. 7 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,239 Speaker 1: You can stream Betrayal Dirty Secrets on Hulu and Hulu 8 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:24,439 Speaker 1: for Disney Plus starting on August fourth. 9 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 2: You've got to arrest him because I don't know where 10 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 2: this is going to end. He's a liar, he's a manipulator, 11 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 2: and he's an abuser, and I don't think he'll stop 12 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 2: unless he's made to stop. 13 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: I'm Andrea Gunning, and this is Betrayal, a show about 14 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: the people we trust the most and the deceptions that 15 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: change everything. Today we're sharing Hazel's story. She feels more 16 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:11,680 Speaker 1: comfortable telling her story with a pseudonym, but the rest 17 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 1: of the names and details in this story are unchanged. 18 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 1: Hazel lives in a small town in the UK. 19 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:21,960 Speaker 2: It's a village with two shops and there's not really 20 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 2: a lot there to be honest. 21 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 1: Hazel married her husband Mikey when she was eighteen. In 22 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,839 Speaker 1: her early twenties, she started studying to be a social worker. 23 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 2: I started college and working a lot, so I wasn't 24 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 2: really home and I think Mikey's reaction to that was 25 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:42,120 Speaker 2: he was at home board so it'd have a drink. 26 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 1: Mikey's drinking turned from a habit to an addiction. 27 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 2: It was awful. It was awful. He couldn't keep a 28 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 2: job because obviously being alcohol dependent, so that put more 29 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 2: pressure on me, having to pay the bills, make sure 30 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 2: that you've got enough money. 31 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 1: Hazel was working hard to build a full life. She 32 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: had big dreams, but over time it became clear that 33 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 1: Mikey couldn't grow with her. 34 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 2: I wanted to better myself and get a better career 35 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 2: and do something meaningful, and he was kind of stuck. 36 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: Mikey's struggle with addiction changed him. He began lashing out 37 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,640 Speaker 1: at Hazel. He'd tell her that he wasn't drinking, but 38 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 1: she started to see that he was just hiding it. 39 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 2: When I'd come down in the morning, he'd have made 40 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 2: me a coffee and he'd have one himself, and then 41 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 2: would be vodka in his coffee. My anxiety was through 42 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 2: the roof. It was just horrendous. 43 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: Hazel realized she couldn't trust him anymore. 44 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 2: We tried to save our marriage, but it just got worse. 45 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 2: Over the next couple of years, things weren't good. 46 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 1: Eventually, it was clear that Mikey needed professional support and 47 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: Hazel needed supportive partner, and neither of them could be 48 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 1: that for each other. 49 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:06,640 Speaker 2: Just got out of control. 50 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:10,959 Speaker 1: She and Mikey decided to divorce. The day he left, 51 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 1: Hazel helped him pack up his things. Finally, she grabbed 52 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:17,799 Speaker 1: the last box and put it in his car. When 53 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: she opened the trunk, it. 54 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 2: Was filled with empty bottles of vodka whiskey. 55 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: Then Mikey drove away. That's how Hazel found herself living 56 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 1: alone for the first time as an adult, well almost alone. 57 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 2: I had a dog called Rico. He was my little 58 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 2: rescue dog. He rescued me as much as I rescued him. 59 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 2: I call him my soul dog. 60 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 1: She was learning how to do a lot of things 61 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 1: on her own. Just a few days after Mikey moved out, 62 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 1: Hazel went to take a shower and discovered the water 63 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: was freezing cold. 64 00:03:57,400 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 2: I had no hot water, so I had to ring 65 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 2: this company up and say, you've knackered up my hot water. 66 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 2: I didn't have any hot water, so they said we'll 67 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 2: send somebody out the next day. 68 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 1: Sure enough, the next morning, she heard a knock on 69 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 1: her door. It was a repair man from the gas company. 70 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 2: He was very tall, but didn't think anything of him, 71 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 2: just a guess man. 72 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:23,719 Speaker 1: He got to work on the hot water heater. He 73 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 1: has all went back to the living room, where she 74 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:27,159 Speaker 1: was hanging out with her best friend. 75 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 2: We'd known each other since playgroup, you know, really really close, 76 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 2: so she of course was the person I rang when 77 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 2: I'd realized that, yeah, that's it, marriage is over. I 78 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:40,719 Speaker 2: was on the floor. I was at my most vulnerable, 79 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:41,840 Speaker 2: one hundred percent. 80 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:44,599 Speaker 1: It was a relief to have her best friend there 81 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: to listen. 82 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 2: I was talking about Mikey and his alcohol dependency and 83 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 2: the lies, and just that I couldn't do it anymore. 84 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:59,279 Speaker 1: Eventually, the repair man finished fixing the boiler. He popped 85 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 1: his head into the living room, told all he was done, 86 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:03,040 Speaker 1: and left. 87 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:07,680 Speaker 2: So my hot water was fixed. My friend had left. 88 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:10,239 Speaker 2: Didn't really fancy being in the house on my own, 89 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 2: so I went over to my mom's, just trying to 90 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 2: keep myself busy. 91 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:19,360 Speaker 1: She was at her mom's sitting on the couch doing 92 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 1: the same thing she'd been doing for days. 93 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 2: I sat thinking about, you know, the end of my marriage. 94 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 1: Then her phone buzzed. 95 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,919 Speaker 2: I got a text message from a number that I 96 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:36,359 Speaker 2: didn't know. Said, it's Mark, the gas engineer. Can I 97 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 2: just ask, did I leave my laptop case at your house? 98 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:42,920 Speaker 2: I told him what, I'd have a look, and when 99 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 2: I got home there was no laptop case. So I 100 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:47,800 Speaker 2: messaged him and said, oh, you know, to not hear 101 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 2: maybe you left another job. 102 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 1: Then he texted an emoji. 103 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 2: He put one of those kiss face emojis, the little 104 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:58,719 Speaker 2: emojis with a little blowing out heart, and then he 105 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 2: apologized for sending the emoji. They said it was an accident, 106 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 2: and I said it was okay. I didn't mind. And 107 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:09,719 Speaker 2: then he sent another one that made her laugh. Seeing 108 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 2: that little emoji made me feel a little bit like, Okay, 109 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:21,159 Speaker 2: we just started texting. We just started talking, just general things. 110 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 1: Mark's texts were a welcomed distraction. 111 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 2: I didn't have to think about my marriage ending. I 112 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,159 Speaker 2: didn't have to think about all the stresses that brought on. 113 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:33,840 Speaker 1: They started flirting and bantering over text. 114 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:36,080 Speaker 2: And it made me feel good. It made me feel 115 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 2: oh my god, you know somebody could actually care about me. 116 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:42,599 Speaker 1: They started talking on the phone sometimes too. 117 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 2: After a couple of weeks, he messaged and said, Oh, 118 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:49,160 Speaker 2: I've got a job around the corner, come on pop 119 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:53,559 Speaker 2: in for a coffee. And I was like, my gosh, yeah, sure, 120 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 2: come over. 121 00:06:55,560 --> 00:06:57,920 Speaker 1: Ten minutes later, she heard a knock on her door. 122 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:01,839 Speaker 1: When she opened it, Mark was standing in front of her, smiling. 123 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:06,359 Speaker 1: They'd been flirting for weeks, and now in person she 124 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:07,839 Speaker 1: clearly felt the chemistry. 125 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:11,640 Speaker 2: The first thing he did was put me up against 126 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 2: the wall and kissed me, which of course blew me 127 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 2: off my feet, like, oh my gosh, I've never had 128 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:18,560 Speaker 2: that before. 129 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 1: He's all was nervous that hanging out in person might 130 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 1: turn out to be an awkward endeavor, but to her surprise, 131 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 1: we got on. 132 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 2: We laughed and it was nice. There was no awkward silences. 133 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 2: There was a silence, It was comfortable. 134 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 1: After that day, they started hanging out more often. 135 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:43,240 Speaker 2: He would come and see me whilst I was working nights, 136 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:46,600 Speaker 2: whilst I was studying. He was making me laugh. 137 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 1: She had spent years in her marriage taking care of 138 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 1: her ex husband, Mark was a breath of fresh air. 139 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 2: It was different with Mark. It was so much affection. 140 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 2: We said it was a passion and I neither of 141 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 2: us had felt before. 142 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 1: Mark made her feel sexy and wanted. Before long, they 143 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 1: started dating officially. When Mark got off work, he would 144 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 1: go to Hazel's place and they would spend their evenings together. 145 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 1: Mark made even mundane things feel exciting. 146 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 2: Mark was stupid funny. He would make a twat out 147 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 2: of himself and you would just be laughing at him 148 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:29,120 Speaker 2: rather than with him. He'd start doing really sinny dances 149 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 2: around the house. If a song came on, he'd start 150 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 2: stripping his clothes off and I'm just sat there like, 151 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:37,960 Speaker 2: what are you doing? But it was really funny and 152 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 2: we just got on. It just felt so natural, and 153 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:45,040 Speaker 2: that laughter got me through. 154 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:50,440 Speaker 1: Mark texted Hazel all the time. He didn't hide his 155 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: feelings for her. 156 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 2: He would draw hearts on his phone and tell me 157 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 2: how beautiful I was. He would send a message and 158 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 2: he would say I l and then dash dash dash 159 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 2: you And I was like, well, is that like or 160 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 2: is that love? Obviously it was love. 161 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:13,679 Speaker 1: When he wasn't around, she missed him. 162 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 2: There was passion there that I'd never felt before, and 163 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,319 Speaker 2: it felt really nice. It felt wonderful. 164 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: She finally found someone that could meet her halfway. 165 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 2: He had a stable job with a big company. The 166 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 2: pension was really good, and obviously I was training to 167 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:37,560 Speaker 2: be a social worker. 168 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: As time went on, Hazel started imagining what life with 169 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 1: Mark could look like. 170 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 2: I thought that this is great. Neither of us have 171 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 2: got children. We could have two good incomes. He's got 172 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 2: a stable job, He's funny, he makes me laugh, he 173 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:56,960 Speaker 2: makes me feel good about myself. There's a future here. 174 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 1: Hazel's friends were worried about health that their relationship was moving. 175 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:05,319 Speaker 2: One of my friends, Vicki, said, it's too quick. It's 176 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:09,319 Speaker 2: too fast. She said it would be headline in the newspapers. 177 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 2: Murdered by the guests man, you know. 178 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 1: Jokingly, but Hazel wasn't amused. 179 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 2: Come on, sometimes things happen like this. You know. 180 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:22,599 Speaker 1: It was a big extreme. But her friend was suspicious, 181 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 1: and she had a good reason to be worried. A 182 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 1: few days after Hazel's husband moved out, she called the 183 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:57,440 Speaker 1: gas company to fix her hot water. That led to 184 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 1: a meet cute with a man named Mark. After weeks 185 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:04,720 Speaker 1: of flirting over text, their relationship developed into something real. 186 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 1: They began hanging out whenever they could find time. 187 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 2: I thought that this is great. He's got a stable job. 188 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 2: He's funny, he makes me laugh, he makes me feel 189 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 2: good about myself. There's a future here. 190 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:20,840 Speaker 1: The only complication was that he lived thirty minutes away, 191 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:24,120 Speaker 1: but luckily he was often in her town for work. 192 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:25,839 Speaker 1: They would make a date of it. 193 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:29,960 Speaker 2: I would cook for him, he would come over. He 194 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 2: made me feel good about myself, telling me how beautiful 195 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:35,959 Speaker 2: I was, and how wonderful I was, and how we 196 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 2: were perfect for each other. 197 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:41,720 Speaker 1: At the time, he is al was still in school 198 00:11:41,880 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 1: training to be a social worker. Her schedule was packed. 199 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:48,319 Speaker 1: It helped that Mark was always willing to make the 200 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:49,320 Speaker 1: drive to her place. 201 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:53,679 Speaker 2: I was so busy. I was studying and working, so 202 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 2: it just worked. It just fitted. 203 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 1: But Mark had to work early mornings, so he rarely 204 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: spent the night. 205 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:05,200 Speaker 2: There was one day, for some reason, I think I 206 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 2: needed to go and get something from the shop. So 207 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 2: it was about half six, so I was drive into 208 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:13,320 Speaker 2: the shop and I saw Mark walking his dog in 209 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:14,960 Speaker 2: my area. 210 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 1: This was weird. Why would Mark be walking his dog 211 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 1: so far from his own house? 212 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 2: And I stopped the car and I was like, what 213 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 2: are you doing around here? And he said, oh, oh, 214 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:31,440 Speaker 2: my uncle lives around the corner, so sometimes i'll bring 215 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 2: the dog over and walk the dog around here. It's 216 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 2: got a really nice dog walking field. Okay, a bit weird, 217 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:40,000 Speaker 2: but all right. 218 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:43,960 Speaker 1: He'd never mentioned he had family in her area, but 219 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 1: that made things even more convenient. A few days later, 220 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 1: Mark came over to Hazel's house. She went outside and 221 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:53,360 Speaker 1: greeted him as he got out of his truck. As 222 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:56,199 Speaker 1: she hugged him, her eyes landed on the front seat. 223 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:01,280 Speaker 2: I saw an Amazon parcel within a dress on it, 224 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:03,200 Speaker 2: two roads from where I live. 225 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:08,160 Speaker 1: Mark lived a half hour away. Why would he have 226 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 1: a package addressed to a home in her neighborhood. 227 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 2: I thought maybe he'd just got it delivered to his 228 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:17,679 Speaker 2: uncle's house. Maybe that was easier for him. I don't know. 229 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 1: She made a mental note of the address. Hazel and 230 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:24,200 Speaker 1: Mark had been dating for months. They'd become a part 231 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: of each other's daily lives. Many nights after work they'd 232 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:31,839 Speaker 1: walk her dog reco together. Mark loved Rico as much 233 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 1: as she did, and when they weren't together, they texted 234 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:37,040 Speaker 1: and called each other constantly. 235 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:40,720 Speaker 2: Talking on the phone all the time, texting all the time. 236 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:43,679 Speaker 2: If we ran out of things to say, we would 237 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 2: just send hearts to each other. Then we'd play games 238 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:49,680 Speaker 2: and things on Snapchat. It was easy. 239 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:53,560 Speaker 1: For the first time in a long time, Hazel felt 240 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,959 Speaker 1: settled in her life. She decided to buy the house 241 00:13:57,080 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 1: she'd been renting for the past few years, and she 242 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 1: started to consider asking Mark to take a big step 243 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 1: with her. 244 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 2: I thought about him moving in here, living together, having 245 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 2: a stable relationship, which I hadn't had in such a 246 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:12,679 Speaker 2: long time. 247 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:16,200 Speaker 1: One day, Hazel went on a hike with one of 248 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:16,840 Speaker 1: her friends. 249 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 2: We went to a place. It's called Simmons Yet and 250 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:25,680 Speaker 2: it's a big lake, big forest, and we walked around 251 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:28,160 Speaker 2: the woods. Such a beautiful place. 252 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 1: After a few hours of hiking and catching up, they 253 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: headed home. On their drive back, she spotted what looked 254 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 1: like Mark's work van. 255 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 2: He was parked on the side of the road. 256 00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 1: Hazel did a double take. What was Mark doing out here? 257 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 1: Maybe it wasn't him, But as they drove closer, she 258 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:49,960 Speaker 1: was sure it. 259 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 2: Was Mark, and he was out of his van and 260 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:58,760 Speaker 2: he was looking in his van, and we just prod on. 261 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 1: Driving over the next few weeks, Hazel started seeing Mark's 262 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 1: workman more and more. When she asked him about it, 263 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:08,760 Speaker 1: he said he had a lot of repairs in the area, 264 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 1: but how many boilers could be broken on her street. 265 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:16,560 Speaker 2: I felt really uneasy after he said that, but I thought, no, 266 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 2: it's fine, it's fine. 267 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:24,680 Speaker 1: One weekend, Mark told Hazel he was going on a trip. 268 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 2: He was going to his friend's house that was in 269 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 2: the middle of nowhere, and he was spending all weekend 270 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 2: there and he was repiping the whole house, so he 271 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 2: wasn't able to talk to me. So I was like, 272 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 2: that's fine, that's no problem. 273 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 1: She knew he couldn't talk while he was at his 274 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:49,880 Speaker 1: friend's house, but she figured his drive there would be 275 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:51,400 Speaker 1: a great time to catch up. 276 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 2: So I was like, I'll ring him on the way. 277 00:15:56,120 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 1: She called Mark. Usually he picked up right away, but 278 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:02,560 Speaker 1: this time it went to voicemail. 279 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 2: He didn't answer, so I thought, Okay, something's not right. 280 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 2: He always answers the phone. The phone has rung, so 281 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 2: he's got signal. 282 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 1: Hazel had a bad feeling. She thought back to the 283 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 1: Amazon package on his front seat. It was addressed to 284 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: a street just around the corner, so I thought. 285 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 2: Right, I'm going to get in my car and then 286 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 2: then to drive down that road. 287 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 1: She drove down the road, scanning each driveway nervously. She 288 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 1: wasn't sure what she was looking for or if she'd 289 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 1: find anything. After a few minutes, she saw something that 290 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 1: made her hit the brakes. I saw his van parked 291 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 1: on the drive She drove closer, and sure enough, it 292 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 1: was his license plate. 293 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:53,360 Speaker 2: We're talking two minutes two minute drive from my house. 294 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 1: He said he was with a friend far away in 295 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 1: the countryside with no phone service, but his car was 296 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:03,960 Speaker 1: parked right down the street from her. She texted Mark 297 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:07,399 Speaker 1: and told him she saw his van parked in the neighborhood. 298 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:12,119 Speaker 2: He then went into kind of panic mode. He told 299 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:14,240 Speaker 2: me that he'd gone up the road to find some 300 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 2: signal to ring me. 301 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 1: Mark insisted that he was visiting his friend, that he 302 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:19,879 Speaker 1: was miles away. 303 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:21,720 Speaker 2: He's like, I'll send you my location. 304 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 1: He sent her a screenshot of a map. 305 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:28,159 Speaker 2: He'd gone on to Google Maps and he'd sent me 306 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:30,440 Speaker 2: a screenshot, and it was a little dot in the 307 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 2: middle of nowhere. 308 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:36,720 Speaker 1: For a second, it did look like Mark was in 309 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:40,720 Speaker 1: the countryside, a small dot surrounded by big green fields. 310 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:44,879 Speaker 1: But as Hazel looked closer at the screenshot, she noticed 311 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:45,680 Speaker 1: something was off. 312 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 2: He'd cropped out the time and the date. I said, 313 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:54,480 Speaker 2: I'm not stupid. I know you're not there right now. 314 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 2: If you were there right now, you wouldn't have cropped 315 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:00,639 Speaker 2: out at the time. He carried on making up more lines, 316 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:04,119 Speaker 2: telling me I'm being paranoid. Everything was in my head. 317 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 1: But Hazel was staring straight at his van. She was 318 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:12,200 Speaker 1: certain this was real. Whenever Mark came to Hazel's he 319 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:15,960 Speaker 1: parked on the street. But here, at this house, he 320 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:20,680 Speaker 1: was parked in the driveway. Did Mark live here? It 321 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 1: all felt suspicious, and he was clearly. 322 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 2: Lying to her, this is it. I can't be in 323 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 2: another relationship where there's this honesty. Once the trust is gone, 324 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:35,200 Speaker 2: the trust is gone, you can't get it back. I said, 325 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:39,400 Speaker 2: I'm done. I'm done. It's over. I can't do this anymore. 326 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 1: As soon as she said that, Mark's tone shifted. He 327 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:47,399 Speaker 1: responded right away and began telling Hazel that this was 328 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 1: all her fault. 329 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 2: It's all because of my ex husband. Why I'm so broken. 330 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:57,200 Speaker 2: I don't deserve him, really, just the horrible, horrible messages. 331 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 1: No matter what he said to her. Hazel knew what 332 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:05,800 Speaker 1: she'd seen. He was lying, and she'd caught him in 333 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 1: the act. That's when Mark stopped pretending. He admitted that 334 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:14,200 Speaker 1: he lived in that house just two minutes away from her. 335 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:16,640 Speaker 2: Ob Jove passed his size every day. 336 00:19:17,520 --> 00:19:20,719 Speaker 1: At this point, Mark knew all his lives were unraveling, 337 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:23,639 Speaker 1: so he admitted the full truth. 338 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:30,439 Speaker 2: He then told me about his girlfriend and his daughter. 339 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 2: I was in a state of shock. 340 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,199 Speaker 1: Lying about where he lived was one thing, but this 341 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:41,439 Speaker 1: was so much darker than that. Mark was lying about 342 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:42,440 Speaker 1: his entire light. 343 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 2: He lived in the same area as me, and he's 344 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 2: been lying from day one. Hazel was disgusted, but then 345 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:55,280 Speaker 2: reflecting on it, it all makes sense. Never spent the night, 346 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:57,679 Speaker 2: you know. I thought it was because it fitted in 347 00:19:57,720 --> 00:19:59,920 Speaker 2: with me, and it fitted in with my work really well. 348 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:04,480 Speaker 2: But actually it made sense. And wanna did I not 349 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:08,119 Speaker 2: clock on to Yeah, there's probably somebody else. 350 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 1: Mark was grasping extras trying to get her back. He 351 00:20:13,160 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 1: told her he would leave his family for her, and 352 00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:18,000 Speaker 1: when she said she didn't want. 353 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 2: That, trying to blame me. Maybe think it was all 354 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:24,720 Speaker 2: in my head, you know, real gaslighting, horrible behavior. 355 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:28,200 Speaker 1: Mark was being cruel in a way she had never 356 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 1: experienced before. 357 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 2: And I was like, I'm done, get stuff, get out 358 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:34,439 Speaker 2: my house. I don't want you anywhere near me. 359 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:39,679 Speaker 1: At the time, Hazel was working at a women's center 360 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:42,160 Speaker 1: where she was training to be a social worker. 361 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 2: Which was the perfect place for me to be going 362 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:48,280 Speaker 2: through all this because I had on hands support and 363 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:52,040 Speaker 2: they advised me to not block people. Don't block people 364 00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 2: like that because if they don't have a channel of communication, 365 00:20:57,160 --> 00:20:59,800 Speaker 2: that's when they start turning up. And then obviously you 366 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:03,399 Speaker 2: were bigger risks, so I didn't block him. 367 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 1: Mark was messaging her, incessantly, braiding her, trying everything to 368 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:09,480 Speaker 1: get her attention. 369 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:14,159 Speaker 2: It was horrendous. It brought back so many feelings that 370 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:20,320 Speaker 2: I'd kind of buried from my relationship with my husband. 371 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:25,639 Speaker 2: I felt all the anxiety was coming back, mistrust, I 372 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:29,040 Speaker 2: felt sick, I couldn't eat, I lost so much weight. 373 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 1: Mark was getting increasingly agitated and desperate. Then she got 374 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:36,919 Speaker 1: an alarming message from. 375 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:40,399 Speaker 2: Him saying that he'd had a heart attack and was 376 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:45,400 Speaker 2: in hospital and he'd almost died, and I thought, oh 377 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:52,080 Speaker 2: my god, have I done this? I felt awful. I 378 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:54,080 Speaker 2: messaged him back and said, you know, You're going to 379 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:55,560 Speaker 2: be okay. You're in the right place. 380 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 1: Mark was bonded right away. He told her that he 381 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:00,840 Speaker 1: was about to go in her heart surgery. 382 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:06,320 Speaker 2: He was texting me from his hospital bed, saying that 383 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:10,600 Speaker 2: he was being pushed towards theater and that he could 384 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:14,679 Speaker 2: see the lights above his head because he was led flat. 385 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 2: That's all he was trying to focus on. 386 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:22,240 Speaker 1: Hazel's concern melted away and was replaced by skepticism. 387 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 2: I've had enough operations in my life to know you 388 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:29,879 Speaker 2: don't take your phone to an operating data All your 389 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 2: belongings get bagged up and they get put safely away somewhere. 390 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:38,880 Speaker 2: So I was like, come on, at this point, I'm 391 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:43,000 Speaker 2: just like, this is bullshit. This isn't true. 392 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:48,160 Speaker 1: When Hazel ignored Mark's texts, she started getting harassing, coercive 393 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:50,080 Speaker 1: messages from unknown numbers. 394 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:55,400 Speaker 2: I then got messages on Facebook signal and I messages 395 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:56,960 Speaker 2: pleading apologizing. 396 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:00,719 Speaker 1: When she first met Mark, she godd here was her 397 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 1: ticket out of a dark period of her life, but 398 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:07,360 Speaker 1: now he was pulling her further and deeper into despair 399 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:08,119 Speaker 1: and isolation. 400 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 2: I was managing to eat crackers and drink water. That 401 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 2: was all I could kind of keep down is the time, 402 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 2: and that just kind of escalated, and you know, I 403 00:23:19,119 --> 00:23:22,359 Speaker 2: was already kind of burning out with what I was doing, 404 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:25,800 Speaker 2: but then not being able to eat and keep food down, 405 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:27,920 Speaker 2: I was just burning out even more. 406 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:30,800 Speaker 1: She decided to get on a dating app. 407 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:34,160 Speaker 2: I think I was just looking for somebody to make 408 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:36,639 Speaker 2: me feel better because I couldn't make myself feel better. 409 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:40,200 Speaker 1: She matched with a few guys and started messaging one 410 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:44,400 Speaker 1: of them more regularly. Eventually they moved their conversation off 411 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:46,560 Speaker 1: the app and onto Facebook Messenger. 412 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:51,439 Speaker 2: But then I started getting messages from Mark about the 413 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:54,440 Speaker 2: things that I was saying with this guy. My private 414 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:57,880 Speaker 2: message is to this guy. He knew the bloat's name, 415 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 2: he knew what the context we were talking about. He 416 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 2: said that we were talking about awful things. 417 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:05,160 Speaker 1: Hazel was scared. 418 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:09,120 Speaker 2: How do you know that I haven't spoken to you? 419 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:12,879 Speaker 2: And he's like, the guy's messaged me and told me 420 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:14,440 Speaker 2: and sent me screenshots. 421 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:19,040 Speaker 1: But this guy didn't even know that Mark existed. That's 422 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:20,720 Speaker 1: when it dawned on Hazel. 423 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:22,520 Speaker 2: You've hacked into my Facebook. 424 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 1: She changed her Facebook password, but that was only a 425 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 1: temporary solution. She was getting calls and texts from unknown 426 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:32,720 Speaker 1: numbers at all hours of the day. 427 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:36,959 Speaker 2: The messages carried on and then it got kind of 428 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:40,840 Speaker 2: really nasty. So he started calling me a whore, started 429 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 2: calling me a slut for moving on so quickly. 430 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 1: Mark's behavior was escalating. Hazel decided to reach out for support. 431 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 2: I ran one oh one, which is our non emergency 432 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:55,159 Speaker 2: police line, but they said they've gotten a way of 433 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 2: tracking him trying my network provider. My network provider did 434 00:24:59,720 --> 00:25:04,080 Speaker 2: off for me to have block numbers stopped, but actually, 435 00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:08,280 Speaker 2: sometimes important people ring on block numbers, the police ring 436 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:12,800 Speaker 2: on block numbers, the doctors do so actually that would 437 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 2: be impacting my life more so. 438 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:17,560 Speaker 1: Hazel was left to deal with Mark on her own. 439 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:22,840 Speaker 1: Knowing that he lived in her neighborhood was terrifying. She 440 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:25,200 Speaker 1: was scared he was hiding around every corner. 441 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:29,280 Speaker 2: I couldn't drive past his house, so I was doing 442 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:31,879 Speaker 2: a detour. Every time I saw one of those bands, 443 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 2: I'd get panic attacks. 444 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:36,520 Speaker 1: She remembered how often she ran into him when they 445 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:40,960 Speaker 1: were dating. Now she wondered, had that really been a coincidence. 446 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:44,879 Speaker 1: She checked to find my friends on her phone and 447 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 1: saw that market access to her location, but she'd never 448 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:50,480 Speaker 1: given it to him. 449 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 2: He must have got my phone at some point while 450 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:58,720 Speaker 2: we were together and set my location so he could 451 00:25:58,760 --> 00:25:59,119 Speaker 2: see it. 452 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:04,040 Speaker 1: He was tracking her, and maybe he'd been tracking her 453 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:07,320 Speaker 1: since the very beginning. She didn't know what else he knew, 454 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:10,320 Speaker 1: or what other ways he might be watching her. 455 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:15,919 Speaker 2: I didn't feel safe. It was horrible, it was invasive. 456 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:19,240 Speaker 1: She lived in a state of paranoia for months. 457 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:25,680 Speaker 2: One morning, I'd come downstairs and we've got candles. They're 458 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:30,320 Speaker 2: called Imperial candles, and they smell absolutely beautiful, and they've 459 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:34,600 Speaker 2: got jewelry inside. So I'd gone downstairs and the candle 460 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:37,960 Speaker 2: had burnt down enough that I could get the jewelry out. 461 00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:41,280 Speaker 1: He's all stood by the breakfast bar, fishing out the 462 00:26:41,359 --> 00:26:42,439 Speaker 1: jewelry from the candle. 463 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:44,760 Speaker 2: So I was stood there for quite a while because 464 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:46,240 Speaker 2: they're quite hard to get out. 465 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:51,160 Speaker 1: Then she heard something. I heard. 466 00:26:53,359 --> 00:26:53,719 Speaker 2: Noise. 467 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 1: She looked up slowly in the corner of her living room. 468 00:26:58,080 --> 00:26:59,199 Speaker 1: She kept a pet camera. 469 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:03,080 Speaker 2: I always had the camera pointing at the front door 470 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 2: because that was where Rico would always owl. 471 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:11,199 Speaker 1: But now the camera was turning slowly looking around the room. 472 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:15,800 Speaker 1: Somebody was controlling it remotely. When it was pointing directly 473 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:18,240 Speaker 1: at her. The camera stopped. 474 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:22,399 Speaker 2: And I just froze. I think he's in my camera. 475 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:47,920 Speaker 1: After Hazel broke up with Mark, he began harassing her. 476 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:52,719 Speaker 1: It started with incessant text messages and calls, then he 477 00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:57,199 Speaker 1: hacked into her Facebook account, and then one morning, Hazel 478 00:27:57,320 --> 00:27:59,640 Speaker 1: was in her living room when she heard her pet 479 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:04,359 Speaker 1: camera move. Someone was controlling it remotely. When it was 480 00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:08,480 Speaker 1: pointing directly at her, the camera stopped and I just 481 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:10,400 Speaker 1: stood and I just froze. 482 00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:12,880 Speaker 2: I didn't know what to do. 483 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:16,359 Speaker 1: She grabbed her phone and logged into the pet camera app. 484 00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:20,600 Speaker 2: And it said two viewers, so me and somebody else. 485 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:25,000 Speaker 2: Now I didn't live with anyone else, never given the 486 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:27,760 Speaker 2: access to anybody. No one else should have had any 487 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:28,760 Speaker 2: access to the camera. 488 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:32,800 Speaker 1: This had to be Mark. And with the camera pointed 489 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:36,239 Speaker 1: straight at her, she knew he was watching her. That 490 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:37,200 Speaker 1: very moment. 491 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:42,120 Speaker 2: I thought, okay, just trying a normal I picked up 492 00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:44,920 Speaker 2: my keys, I picked up my phone, and I just 493 00:28:45,040 --> 00:28:45,680 Speaker 2: left the house. 494 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:49,600 Speaker 1: He's always rattled. 495 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:53,120 Speaker 2: What's going to happen next? I don't know what to do. 496 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:55,720 Speaker 2: If I hut off my camera, is he going to 497 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 2: start turning up? 498 00:28:57,200 --> 00:29:00,240 Speaker 1: She ran through options in her mind. 499 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:02,360 Speaker 2: I did all of his messages at one point because 500 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:04,240 Speaker 2: I didn't want to read the mcgannal, didn't want to 501 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:09,200 Speaker 2: relive it. So I thought, Okay, if I ring the police, 502 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:11,800 Speaker 2: I've got no evidence, so it's my word against his. 503 00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:15,880 Speaker 1: Eventually she decided to confront Mark directly. 504 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:20,440 Speaker 2: I messaged him and I said, I know you've been 505 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:23,000 Speaker 2: on my camera. I know you've been watching me. 506 00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:26,560 Speaker 1: Enter her surprise, they admitted it. 507 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:29,240 Speaker 2: He said that it was because he missed me so 508 00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:32,440 Speaker 2: much and it didn't know how else for me to 509 00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:33,360 Speaker 2: be part of his life. 510 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:38,120 Speaker 1: His words were alarming, but he's all gained something valuable. 511 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:44,520 Speaker 1: I had evidence he'd admitted in writing what he'd done 512 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:47,920 Speaker 1: and why he did it. He's all reported him to 513 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:48,520 Speaker 1: the police. 514 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:51,120 Speaker 2: The police came out to see me the next day, 515 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:53,560 Speaker 2: took a full statement and asked me what I wanted 516 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:56,560 Speaker 2: to do, and they gave me three options. They said 517 00:29:57,120 --> 00:29:59,080 Speaker 2: they can have a word with him and tell him 518 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:03,280 Speaker 2: to stop, they can arrest him, or they can just 519 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:07,160 Speaker 2: record it in case something else happens, and then they've 520 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:10,280 Speaker 2: got a bigger picture. And I sat there and I 521 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 2: just thought, if something else happens. 522 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:18,200 Speaker 1: Her mind went to dark places. What did they mean? 523 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:19,640 Speaker 1: If something else happens. 524 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:23,520 Speaker 2: And that kind of sat with me, and I thought 525 00:30:24,040 --> 00:30:29,840 Speaker 2: it's escalated to the point already, which is horrendous. Didn't 526 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:31,120 Speaker 2: feel safe in my own home. 527 00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 1: So she told the police she'd made her decision. 528 00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:38,240 Speaker 2: You've got to arrest him because I don't know where 529 00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:42,000 Speaker 2: this is going to end. He's a liar, he's a manipulator, 530 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:44,680 Speaker 2: and he's an abuser, and I don't think he'll stop 531 00:30:44,760 --> 00:30:46,000 Speaker 2: unless he's made to stop. 532 00:30:46,520 --> 00:30:49,520 Speaker 1: A few days later, Mark was arrested. 533 00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:54,600 Speaker 2: He'd been arrested on suspicion of stalking and arrestment. 534 00:30:55,720 --> 00:30:58,160 Speaker 1: He still knew he was still employed by the gas company. 535 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:01,360 Speaker 1: She called them and explained that Mark was a liability 536 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:02,600 Speaker 1: to their customer's safety. 537 00:31:03,120 --> 00:31:06,360 Speaker 2: I was just trying to get my point across and 538 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 2: say that this man is dangerous and you've got him 539 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:12,959 Speaker 2: going into people's homes and you need to get him out. 540 00:31:13,680 --> 00:31:19,240 Speaker 2: They said it was the wireless heating system company's problem. 541 00:31:19,720 --> 00:31:20,960 Speaker 1: So Hazel called them. 542 00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 2: And then they said it's the gas company's problem. So 543 00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:28,720 Speaker 2: I was just getting bound from the two companies and 544 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:30,520 Speaker 2: I was on the phone for als. 545 00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:35,160 Speaker 1: This pathway wasn't working. Nobody she spoke to and knew 546 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:39,480 Speaker 1: how to help. With Mark's trial coming up, Hazel decided 547 00:31:39,520 --> 00:31:42,800 Speaker 1: she wanted her story to serve a broader purpose. She 548 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:46,960 Speaker 1: wanted to spread awareness about stalking and perpetrators like Mark. 549 00:31:48,360 --> 00:31:52,479 Speaker 1: Before Mark's trial, Hazel reached out to her local newspaper. 550 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:55,080 Speaker 2: To make sure there was a reporter there because I 551 00:31:55,080 --> 00:31:56,880 Speaker 2: thought this isn't going under the carpet. 552 00:31:57,600 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 1: On the day of Mark's trial, Hazel went to Core. 553 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:03,760 Speaker 2: I felt that I needed to be there to show 554 00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:09,400 Speaker 2: him that he hadn't broken me. I had probably about 555 00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:12,840 Speaker 2: seven or eight friends with me that had come to 556 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:17,360 Speaker 2: be there and to support me. I read my victim 557 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:22,400 Speaker 2: impact statement, and my hands they were really really shaking. 558 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:27,720 Speaker 1: There was overwhelming evidence of Marx's harassment and stoking, including 559 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:29,320 Speaker 1: his own confession to Hazel. 560 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:34,400 Speaker 2: He pled guilty. He got an eighteen week prison sentence 561 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:40,720 Speaker 2: suspended for twelve months. He got an indefinite restraining order 562 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:46,240 Speaker 2: preventing any contact with myself, and he's not allowed in 563 00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:46,800 Speaker 2: my road. 564 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:52,240 Speaker 1: Two days later, the local newspaper reported on Hazel's story 565 00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 1: and Mark's crimes. Over the coming weeks and months, the 566 00:32:56,320 --> 00:32:58,880 Speaker 1: story spread to other outlets across the UK. 567 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:04,680 Speaker 2: I had papers writing to me and magazines writing to me. 568 00:33:05,520 --> 00:33:08,360 Speaker 1: We've had voice actors read some of the headlines. We've 569 00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:12,680 Speaker 1: anatomized the name of Mark's former employer, gas engineer who 570 00:33:12,680 --> 00:33:15,840 Speaker 1: hacked into excess pet camera to spy on her avoids jail. 571 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:18,280 Speaker 1: This is what it's like to be stocked in your 572 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:21,880 Speaker 1: own hall. Gloucestershire woman's full account of how ex gas 573 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:25,600 Speaker 1: engineer hacked into her cameras after fixing her boiler. Gas 574 00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:29,560 Speaker 1: engineer stocked ex girlfriend by hacking pet camera inside her home. 575 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:33,560 Speaker 1: Telling her story was challenging at first, but she has 576 00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:37,000 Speaker 1: continued to tell it because she knows how important it 577 00:33:37,040 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 1: is to put language to her experience. 578 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:45,360 Speaker 2: I didn't think of harassment and stalking. I just saw 579 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:49,160 Speaker 2: it as he's got a screw loose and he just 580 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:53,120 Speaker 2: needs to leave me alone. It wasn't until the police 581 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:58,800 Speaker 2: said stalking and harassment that I really started to reflect 582 00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:03,560 Speaker 2: on what I had gone through and how serious it was. 583 00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:07,120 Speaker 1: When Mark showed up at her house to fix her boiler, 584 00:34:07,640 --> 00:34:11,040 Speaker 1: Hazel was at her most vulnerable when she was talking 585 00:34:11,040 --> 00:34:13,880 Speaker 1: with her friend about her divorce. Mark was in the 586 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:14,479 Speaker 1: next room. 587 00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:19,360 Speaker 2: He was listening to everything. He told me that later 588 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:23,320 Speaker 2: on he was listening to the fact that I was crying. 589 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:28,120 Speaker 1: He heard her desperation, and just hours later he swooped 590 00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:32,279 Speaker 1: in and started flirting with her. Mark saw Hazel was 591 00:34:32,320 --> 00:34:38,600 Speaker 1: lost because of that, she'd make the perfect target. One night, 592 00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:41,839 Speaker 1: Hazel got a call from an unknown number and I was. 593 00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:45,480 Speaker 2: Like, oh my god, the restraining order hasn't worked. None 594 00:34:45,520 --> 00:34:47,759 Speaker 2: of this has worked. He thinks he can message me 595 00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:48,680 Speaker 2: again and ring me. 596 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:53,480 Speaker 1: Nervously, she picked up the phone. She braced herself to 597 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:58,000 Speaker 1: hear Mark's voice. Instead, it was the CEO. 598 00:34:57,640 --> 00:35:02,920 Speaker 2: Of the gas company and he said he'd read the article. 599 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:08,799 Speaker 2: He terminated Mark's contract with immediate effect. He already had 600 00:35:08,840 --> 00:35:12,040 Speaker 2: people going to his house to collect the van, collect 601 00:35:12,080 --> 00:35:17,040 Speaker 2: all the equipment, and he was very sympathetic as to 602 00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:17,760 Speaker 2: what happened. 603 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:21,920 Speaker 1: The gas company connected her with mental health services. 604 00:35:22,719 --> 00:35:26,959 Speaker 2: They gave me counseling through their counseling service, which helped 605 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:31,319 Speaker 2: me a lot use CBT, which really did change my 606 00:35:31,440 --> 00:35:35,520 Speaker 2: view on him. He wasn't scary anymore. He was just 607 00:35:35,560 --> 00:35:41,400 Speaker 2: this little pathetic man that it's just not worth my time, 608 00:35:41,719 --> 00:35:44,160 Speaker 2: my thought, my energy. 609 00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:47,799 Speaker 1: Even though it had taken a stocking conviction, it was 610 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:50,439 Speaker 1: meaningful that the company reached out to support her. 611 00:35:51,400 --> 00:35:54,640 Speaker 2: I received an apology and lots of reassurance, and they 612 00:35:54,680 --> 00:36:00,440 Speaker 2: actually use that case now in training moving forward, so 613 00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:05,400 Speaker 2: that's really positive. I think that if something like that 614 00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:08,000 Speaker 2: happened again, that maybe it would be dealt with differently. 615 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:12,440 Speaker 1: Hazel suspects that Mark's girlfriend found out that he was 616 00:36:12,520 --> 00:36:15,560 Speaker 1: cheating on her. After Hazel broke up with him, she 617 00:36:15,680 --> 00:36:17,960 Speaker 1: learned that his girlfriend had also kicked him out of 618 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:21,400 Speaker 1: the house. But more recently, Hazel saw Mark and his 619 00:36:21,440 --> 00:36:25,880 Speaker 1: girlfriend together in their driveway. That means Mark is still 620 00:36:25,960 --> 00:36:26,880 Speaker 1: two roads away. 621 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:30,319 Speaker 2: So I drive past his house mose days, but I 622 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:34,000 Speaker 2: do it with my head held high. He didn't win. 623 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:38,520 Speaker 1: Hazel has a permanent restraining order against Mark. He's not 624 00:36:38,680 --> 00:36:42,640 Speaker 1: allowed on her road, but that only offers so much protection. 625 00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:46,080 Speaker 1: It was scary knowing that Mark lived around the corner. 626 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:50,040 Speaker 1: For a while, Hazel thought about moving, but in the 627 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:53,799 Speaker 1: end she decided to stay. It didn't seem right that 628 00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:56,360 Speaker 1: she should be the one forced out of their neighborhood. 629 00:36:57,000 --> 00:37:00,480 Speaker 1: For Hazel, staying in her home symbolized. 630 00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:03,680 Speaker 2: He didn't win this. He didn't break me. 631 00:37:05,080 --> 00:37:07,120 Speaker 1: She didn't want Mark to be the reason she loved 632 00:37:07,160 --> 00:37:10,440 Speaker 1: a place she loves deeply. She wanted to rebuild and 633 00:37:10,480 --> 00:37:13,960 Speaker 1: make her home somewhere she felt comfortable again, so she 634 00:37:14,080 --> 00:37:15,200 Speaker 1: decided to renovate. 635 00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:20,560 Speaker 2: I completely ripped out everything and started again. I kind 636 00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:23,280 Speaker 2: of took back the safety of my house and made 637 00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:26,160 Speaker 2: it so different that if he walked in air and 638 00:37:26,239 --> 00:37:27,480 Speaker 2: now I would recognize it. 639 00:37:28,239 --> 00:37:32,719 Speaker 1: She refuses to uproot her life because of what Mark did. Instead, 640 00:37:33,200 --> 00:37:36,280 Speaker 1: she's leaned into her community and shifted her mindset. 641 00:37:36,840 --> 00:37:41,000 Speaker 2: It's made me stronger. I will not take any shit. 642 00:37:41,960 --> 00:37:46,279 Speaker 2: I won't I will not put up with anything. I 643 00:37:46,320 --> 00:37:49,560 Speaker 2: will not be told I can't do something or be 644 00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:52,320 Speaker 2: spoken about disrespectfully by anybody. 645 00:37:53,320 --> 00:37:57,480 Speaker 1: Knowing the realities of stalking and harassment firsthand has informed 646 00:37:57,480 --> 00:37:58,040 Speaker 1: her career. 647 00:37:59,320 --> 00:38:04,040 Speaker 2: It's made me a better social worker in cases like this. 648 00:38:04,520 --> 00:38:07,719 Speaker 2: I will share some of my story with some families. 649 00:38:08,520 --> 00:38:10,960 Speaker 2: We'll sit and we'll talk about red flags. 650 00:38:11,960 --> 00:38:15,240 Speaker 1: We asked Hazel to share the signs she encourages people 651 00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:16,120 Speaker 1: to look out for it. 652 00:38:17,080 --> 00:38:20,879 Speaker 2: The massive one is love bombing. If somebody is in 653 00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:23,400 Speaker 2: love with you after a couple of days, run for 654 00:38:23,440 --> 00:38:27,080 Speaker 2: the hills. Like run for the hills. You can't be 655 00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:29,080 Speaker 2: in love with somebody after a couple of days. 656 00:38:33,800 --> 00:38:37,759 Speaker 1: We end every weekly episode with the same question, why 657 00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:40,439 Speaker 1: do you want to share your story? 658 00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:44,759 Speaker 2: What happened to me? I lighted the gaps in how 659 00:38:44,840 --> 00:38:49,680 Speaker 2: people are protected. There's professionals that are coming into your home. 660 00:38:50,160 --> 00:38:54,200 Speaker 2: You would expect them to be safe. You would expect 661 00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:58,960 Speaker 2: them to have checks done on them, to know that 662 00:38:59,480 --> 00:39:03,480 Speaker 2: they are to be entering people's homes. This isn't just 663 00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:10,280 Speaker 2: my story, It's about awareness, accountability and reminds in people 664 00:39:10,840 --> 00:39:15,400 Speaker 2: to put their safety first. 665 00:39:17,480 --> 00:39:23,440 Speaker 1: On the next episode of Betrayal Weekly, my sister starts 666 00:39:23,480 --> 00:39:28,240 Speaker 1: receiving these text messages from an unknown number. Who else 667 00:39:28,320 --> 00:39:31,479 Speaker 1: is getting these messages? Why did it start with us? 668 00:39:39,400 --> 00:39:42,080 Speaker 1: If you'd like to share your story on Betrayal, please 669 00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:48,080 Speaker 1: email Betrayalpod at gmail dot com. That is Betrayalpod at 670 00:39:48,160 --> 00:39:51,920 Speaker 1: gmail dot com. Please note that we are not a 671 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:56,440 Speaker 1: mental health organization. If you are in crisis or currently 672 00:39:56,560 --> 00:40:00,840 Speaker 1: experiencing domestic violence, we encourage you to seek local help 673 00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:04,960 Speaker 1: or dial nine to one one. Please contact organizations that 674 00:40:05,040 --> 00:40:09,080 Speaker 1: offer immediate support and our show notes, we've included a 675 00:40:09,120 --> 00:40:13,000 Speaker 1: list of US based resources. You can follow us on 676 00:40:13,040 --> 00:40:17,040 Speaker 1: Instagram at Betrayal Pod or find me at it's Andrea Gunning. 677 00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:21,080 Speaker 1: To access our newsletter and additional content, and to connect 678 00:40:21,080 --> 00:40:24,879 Speaker 1: with the Betrayal community, join our substack at Betrayal dot 679 00:40:24,920 --> 00:40:28,879 Speaker 1: substack dot com. We're grateful for your support. One way 680 00:40:28,920 --> 00:40:31,480 Speaker 1: to show support is by subscribing to our show on 681 00:40:31,560 --> 00:40:35,719 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts. Don't forget to rate and review Betrayal. Five 682 00:40:35,800 --> 00:40:39,040 Speaker 1: star reviews go a long way. Big thank you to 683 00:40:39,120 --> 00:40:43,160 Speaker 1: all of our listeners. Betrayal is a production of Glass Podcasts, 684 00:40:43,320 --> 00:40:47,239 Speaker 1: a division of Glass Entertainment Group and partnership with iHeart Podcasts. 685 00:40:48,080 --> 00:40:51,160 Speaker 1: The show is executive produced by Nancy Glass and Jennifer Fason, 686 00:40:51,719 --> 00:40:55,560 Speaker 1: hosted and produced by me Andrea Gunning, written and produced 687 00:40:55,560 --> 00:41:00,520 Speaker 1: by Olivia Hewitt. Our story editor is Monique Lebord, produced 688 00:41:00,520 --> 00:41:05,040 Speaker 1: by Ben Fetterman. Our associate producer is Leah Jablo. Production 689 00:41:05,160 --> 00:41:10,080 Speaker 1: management by Kristin Mercury, Booking support by Curry Richmond. Our 690 00:41:10,160 --> 00:41:14,400 Speaker 1: iHeart team is Ali Perry and Treessica Crincheck. Audio editing 691 00:41:14,400 --> 00:41:17,920 Speaker 1: by Tanner Robbins, with additional editing and mixing by Matt Albecchio. 692 00:41:18,600 --> 00:41:23,120 Speaker 1: Betrayals theme composed by Oliver Bains. Music library provided by 693 00:41:23,160 --> 00:41:26,799 Speaker 1: my Music and for more podcasts from iHeart, Visit the 694 00:41:26,840 --> 00:41:32,319 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts from.