CHLOE Hopkins is rebuilding her life one day at a time after her two-year nightmare at the hands of an obsessive stalker.
The 20-year-old former Miss Prestatyn tried to take her own life as the abuse from stalker Anthony Mantova sent her into a spiral of depression and isolation.
Mantova, aged 34, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, pleaded guilty to harassment and was jailed for 18 weeks in July.
“It was like being trapped in a goldfish bowl,” said the former Prestatyn High student.
“Every event I did as Miss Prestatyn, he was there.”
Singer Chloe first met Mantova while on a night out in Prestatyn with friends in August 2010.
“We always saw him on his own and felt sorry for him,” she said.
“We didn't think why he was on his own. We went to say hello. We had no idea what it would set off.”
Mantova then added Chloe on social networking site Facebook and started attending her appearances after she was crowned Miss Prestatyn taking pictures during events.
He also had a T-shirt printed with her picture, set up online petitions against her and left suggestive comments on Facebook, which Chloe became upset might be seen by some of her young fans.
“On Valentine's Day he sent me flowers and said that my tiara and sash would look good on his bedroom floor,” said Chloe.
“It made me feel uncomfortable and he was being suggestive. He was making comments but we brushed them off.
“He started getting too sexual.”
Chloe called North Wales Police after Mantova had her name and the name of three friends tattooed on his chest.
She said: “We were in the Clwydian and he randomly showed up and all of a sudden lifted up his T-shirt. I was thinking ‘oh my god’. He had all four of our names tattooed on his chest.
“We were all really shocked. We didn’t know what to do.”
Last summer, he was given a six month harassment order which Chloe said he did not adhere to.
“I kept thinking - what have I done to deserve this.
“I can’t think of a single thing I have done wrong apart from being nice. Being nice has caused me two years of complete and utter misery.
“People only realised how bad it was when they found out about the overdose.
“It got to the point when he made me feel so low, I thought he was turning people against me. It was a sign of weakness trying to take an overdose.
“He was affecting my mum and dad, my friends, he was affecting every part of my life.
“He was trying to make things as difficult as possible. It still frightens me thinking back. I am terrified.”
Chloe wants to prevent other stalking victims going through the same ordeal.
“Don’t keep quiet, you need to tell everyone. No matter how embarrassed you feel. You have to report it to the police. You need to write down what is happening and keep a record of dates.
“More should be done to protect victims. There should be tougher powers, I would like to see it considered more of a crime. So may people have died or nearly did from it.
“It is more common than people realise. I don’t want anyone to end up seriously in hospital; because of him I couldn’t forgive myself.”
Chloe said she could not have gotten through the last two years without the support of her family, friends, fans and supporters in the local community.
“I’m taking each day as it comes.
“I’m really nervous about when he comes out,” she said.
“It is a waiting game.”