Librarian honoured by Queen stalked colleague he bullied into an affair

A SENIOR librarian bullied a colleague into having an affair with him to keep her job then stalked her when she broke it off, a court heard.

- Robert Kellaway

Richard Ashman, who had been honoured by the Queen with a British Empire Medal, led Catherine Brear to believe her job was at risk if she ended their relationship.

When she did, he threatened to reveal their affair and began a twoyear campaign of harassment, sending sexual texts and emails and leaving roses and gifts at her door.

Miss Brear, who was already in a long-term relationship with a woman, said she became afraid to leave her house and suffered panic attacks.

Southampton Crown Court heard that they met in 2008 when she started working at a library in the city that he supervised, and their affair started at the end of 2012.