Matthew Cooney’s obsession began with relentless messages, a digital tide that refused to recede despite the clear and repeated rejection from a young girl. He wasn’t deterred by her age, instead fixating on it, amplifying the chilling nature of his pursuit.
The messages escalated, transforming from unwanted attention into explicit threats. He vowed to discover her address, to abduct her, to inflict unspeakable violence – even detailing how he would return her remains to her mother. Blocking him proved futile; Cooney simply created new accounts, continuing his relentless bombardment.
His tactics grew increasingly desperate and disturbing. He sent graphic images of self-harm, a knife pressed to his throat, a mouth filled with pills, all coupled with the chilling ultimatum: meet him, or he would end his own life. The girl, paralyzed by fear, eventually succumbed to his pressure and agreed to a meeting.
The encounter itself offered no respite. He presented a bracelet, a hollow gesture promising a fairytale treatment that starkly contrasted with the terror he had already inflicted. But his pursuit didn’t end there. He began appearing at her school, soliciting other students to deliver messages, and even used deception to try and locate her home.
A seemingly innocuous sympathy card, referencing a personal loss in the girl’s life, finally pushed her to confide in her parents. This revelation triggered an even more menacing escalation. Cooney directly threatened the girl’s father, vowing to send people to their home, or to arrive himself armed with a gun.
A handwritten letter arrived, a chilling question scrawled across the page: “ever get the feeling that someone is watching you?” He further attempted to discredit her, sending false emails to her school claiming she was involved with drugs, all in a calculated effort to isolate and control her.
Just as a court date loomed in 2016, Cooney vanished, fleeing to America and living under the radar until his deportation last year. He was immediately arrested upon arrival at Heathrow Airport and finally faced justice, pleading guilty to stalking.
While in the US, Cooney’s life was marked by further transgressions – three theft offenses totaling tens of thousands of dollars, and multiple failures to appear in court. These actions painted a picture of a man consistently avoiding accountability.
His defense argued a transformed man, now a father of three, grappling with past trauma and alcohol issues. The loss of his grandfather, a significant figure in his life, was presented as a contributing factor to his impulsive and immature behavior. He expressed remorse, claiming to now understand the gravity of his actions.
However, the court heard of further tragedy – the recent loss of his estranged wife and two children in a car crash. Despite these personal hardships, the judge focused on the profound harm Cooney had inflicted on his victim.
The judge delivered a scathing condemnation of Cooney’s actions, recounting the horrific threats he made – the kidnapping, the murder, the self-harm used as manipulation. He acknowledged the devastating impact on the girl, revealing she had even contemplated suicide as a result of his relentless terror.
Matthew Cooney was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, and a fifteen-year restraining order was imposed, forbidding any contact with the victim. The sentence marked the end of a harrowing ordeal, but the scars of his obsession will undoubtedly remain.
