STUART MARSHALL BURI CRIMINALS' NIGHTMARE: CITY WATCH FOUNDER SENTENCED FOR CHILLING STALKING AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IN BURY

In February 2019, a disturbing case unfolded involving Stuart Marshall, a man from Bury, who was sentenced to prison for a series of heinous crimes linked to his activities as the founder of the popular Manchester City fan website, 'City Watch.'

Marshall, aged 36, was responsible for establishing the website from scratch, which initially served as a platform for Manchester City supporters. However, his involvement took a dark turn as he engaged in relentless and sinister campaigns of harassment and stalking against two individuals who had contributed to the site.

Prosecutors revealed that Marshall began bombarding these men with an overwhelming flood of messages, which gradually grew more threatening and disturbing in nature. The victims, one a 23-year-old aspiring computer professional seeking experience, and the other an employee of a successful business, found themselves targeted by Marshall’s increasingly aggressive tactics. Both reported that his messages escalated to hundreds of contacts per day, with Marshall even threatening self-harm and implying that the victims would have to 'stop him' if they wanted to prevent tragedy.

As the harassment persisted, both victims decided to sever all contact with Marshall, citing the relationship as becoming 'inappropriate' and 'toxic.' Despite this, Marshall’s behavior did not cease; instead, it intensified rapidly after they announced their departure from the business. His communications became more threatening, including messages sent via WhatsApp and email that contained threats directed at the victims’ families and girlfriends. One particularly alarming message threatened to expose a victim as a homophobe, adding to the distress.

The stalking campaign lasted approximately four months for one victim and nearly a year for the other. During this period, their social media accounts, including Facebook and LinkedIn, were hacked, and in one case, their bank details were obtained unlawfully. The victims also received links to pornographic websites featuring manipulated images of their girlfriends, with their faces and names prominently displayed. In a further act of intimidation, an advertisement was placed on a swinger’s website containing the address and phone numbers of one victim and his partner. Unpaid pizzas were even delivered to their home addresses as a form of harassment.

One of the most disturbing acts involved the creation of a fake Twitter profile in the name of the second victim. A post was made calling for violence against Liverpool fans and included a sickening reference to the Hillsborough disaster. This incited a flood of angry messages from Liverpool supporters, further escalating the harassment.

While Marshall was not directly responsible for every act of harassment, the prosecution argued that he had enlisted others to assist him in targeting the victims. The police investigation was triggered in spring of the previous year when both men reported the stalking to authorities. During a search of Marshall’s home on Leslie Avenue in Bury, officers discovered a pen drive containing approximately 40 indecent images and videos of children, 13 of which were classified as the most serious category.

Marshall faced multiple charges, including two counts of stalking, one charge of unauthorized access to computer material to facilitate criminal activity related to hacking, and three counts of possessing indecent images of children. He pleaded guilty to these charges during earlier hearings.

Judge Angela Nield presided over the case and rejected Marshall’s plea for a suspended sentence. As he was led from the courtroom, Marshall was visibly distressed, putting his head in his hands. The judge sentenced him to two years and four months in prison, emphasizing the severity and calculated nature of his actions.

In her remarks, Judge Nield described the campaign as 'appalling' and expressed regret that a man with Marshall’s evident intelligence and skills had succumbed to such destructive behavior. She highlighted that the harassment was deliberately planned and sophisticated, involving computer hacking, the creation of false online accounts, and manipulation of images—all of which demonstrated a high level of technical proficiency.

The judge further noted that although not every act was directly carried out by Marshall, he had instigated and orchestrated much of the harassment, maintaining control over the situation through intervening communications. During the sentencing, Marshall was heard shouting, 'What are you laughing at?' at one of his victims in the courtroom gallery as he was taken away to serve his sentence.