A woman reported a stalker to the police 125 times before he almost stabbed her to death in a graveyard. Joe Willis, 49, dragged Helen Pearson into a cemetery after she had suffered the ‘hell’ of his stalking for five years. Begging for her life, the 34-year-old was only saved when a female motorist noticed the commotion and confronted Willis. 'Five years of hell': Helen Pearson, 49, (pictured left) reported stalker Joe Willis, 49, (pictured right) to the police 125 times before he attacked her in a cemetery. He was convicted of attempted murder on Tuesday . Campaign of abuse: Willis began stalking Miss Pearson in 2009. Over the course of five years he vandalised her home, car, and even left death threats in graffiti on the street near where she lived (pictured) A court heard she thought she was going to die as her former neighbour pinned her down and stabbed her in the face and back with a pair of foot-long scissors. Willis, of Exeter, Devon, was convicted on Tuesday of attempting to murder his victim, who had already considered suicide because of his sustained abuse. After the hearing Miss Pearson slammed the police for missing repeated opportunities to end her stalking nightmare which began in January 2009. She said the attack in the historic cemetery known as The Catacombs was the culmination of five years of hell. She kept a diary which recorded 125 incidents she reported to Devon and Cornwall police. Her parents - who were also targeted - say they were eventually forced to hire a private detective to hunt down her tormentor. Miss Pearson said the stalking began after Willis asked her to go and watch a pub band with him but she declined. The harassment began with silent . phone calls but moved on to vandalism of her home and car, graffiti in . the street and attacks on her parents’ home. A dead cat was left on her doorstep and she had to install grilles on her windows and change her mobile phone every few months. She . was also sent threatening letters which revealed Willis knew her . movements and included personal items stolen from her rubbish bin. Injuries: Miss Pearson was hit in the face and received six stab wounds to her back when Willis attacked her with a pair of scissors . Damage: Willis repeatedly vandalised Miss Pearson's home - splattering her front door with cream paint and leaving a dead cat on her doorstep . Prosecutor . Richard Crabb said Willis, a former mechanic, lay in wait for Miss . Pearson and intended to murder her but was thwarted by a brave passing . woman driver who stopped and ran into the Exeter graveyard to intervene. Recalling the terrifying attack last October, Miss Pearson said: ‘The first I knew about it was when I was stabbed in the back. I turned and saw it was Joe. ‘I saw his eyes and he looked absolutely furious. The first blow pushed me to the floor and he kicked me and was trying to drag me along into the Catacombs. That was where it was going to end. I tried to get free. I felt another kick and stab from behind. ‘I thought this is going to go on until I am dead. He was deranged and so evil. I had six stab wounds in total on my back. ‘I remember seeing the scissors and turning my head and seeing them come down. I saw his eyes were full of murder. He definitely wanted me to die. ‘I was struggling and screaming and pleading. I remember saying, “Please, Joe, no”. He never spoke to me throughout the whole thing.’ Asked at Exeter Crown Court if she felt let down by the police’s failure to catch her stalker, she replied: ‘Of course I did.’ She recounted numerous incidents of intimidation committed by Willis, including her bike tyres being slashed, phone calls, ‘frightening text messages, anonymous horrible letters, broken windows, many instances of damage to my car, graffiti on the walls and pavements in my street and instances during the night when my door was banged or had paint thrown at it.’ 'Let down': Miss Pearson criticised Devon and Cornwall Police's handling of her case which was only bought to court after Willis launched the physical attack in a cemetery . She told the court: ‘I became more and more afraid, not knowing what the stalker would do next. I imagined he would attack and rape me. ‘Stalking is an apt name for what I was dealing with as I felt like an animal being constantly hunted. ‘Ordinary life was impossible. Finding a dead cat on my doorstep was heart-breaking and I feared it was a warning. ‘I was convinced the stalker was going to kill me but I felt powerless to do anything about it. ‘I felt let down by the authorities that should have been there to help me, that no one cared and that I was a nuisance. I was shocked.’ Willis later turned his attentions to her parents’ home, causing damage, phoning them, and sending malicious letters. He even sent their neighbours a letter pretending to be from the Pearsons saying they ran sex parties. The couple have now lodged an official complaint against Devon and Cornwall Police. Judge Paul Darlow told Willis, who had denied the charge but admitted wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, he faced an ‘inevitably lengthy sentence’. Detective Inspector Mike Robison defended the way police had dealt with scores of reports of harassment during the five years in which Willis stalked his victim before the attack. He said the force is carrying out an internal review which has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. He said: ‘This case has been hugely testing for Helen Pearson and her family and they can hopefully move on with their lives as a result of the verdict.’
Helen Pearson, 34, was subjected to a campaign of abuse by Joe Willis, 49 .
She reported him to police 125 times before he attacked her in a cemetery .
Miss Pearson was only saved when a passing motorist intervened .
Willis was convicted of attempted murder at Exeter Crown Court .
Miss Pearson criticised Devon and Cornwall Police's handling of her case .
A woman reported a stalker to the police 125 times before he almost stabbed her to death in a graveyard. Joe Willis, 49, dragged Helen Pearson into a cemetery after she had suffered the ‘hell’ of his stalking for five years. Begging for her life, the 34-year-old was only saved when a female motorist noticed the commotion and confronted Willis. 'Five years of hell': Helen Pearson, 49, (pictured left) reported stalker Joe Willis, 49, (pictured right) to the police 125 times before he attacked her in a cemetery. He was convicted of attempted murder on Tuesday . Campaign of abuse: Willis began stalking Miss Pearson in 2009. Over the course of five years he vandalised her home, car, and even left death threats in graffiti on the street near where she lived (pictured) A court heard she thought she was going to die as her former neighbour pinned her down and stabbed her in the face and back with a pair of foot-long scissors. Willis, of Exeter, Devon, was convicted on Tuesday of attempting to murder his victim, who had already considered suicide because of his sustained abuse. After the hearing Miss Pearson slammed the police for missing repeated opportunities to end her stalking nightmare which began in January 2009. She said the attack in the historic cemetery known as The Catacombs was the culmination of five years of hell. She kept a diary which recorded 125 incidents she reported to Devon and Cornwall police. Her parents - who were also targeted - say they were eventually forced to hire a private detective to hunt down her tormentor. Miss Pearson said the stalking began after Willis asked her to go and watch a pub band with him but she declined. The harassment began with silent . phone calls but moved on to vandalism of her home and car, graffiti in . the street and attacks on her parents’ home. A dead cat was left on her doorstep and she had to install grilles on her windows and change her mobile phone every few months. She . was also sent threatening letters which revealed Willis knew her . movements and included personal items stolen from her rubbish bin. Injuries: Miss Pearson was hit in the face and received six stab wounds to her back when Willis attacked her with a pair of scissors . Damage: Willis repeatedly vandalised Miss Pearson's home - splattering her front door with cream paint and leaving a dead cat on her doorstep . Prosecutor . Richard Crabb said Willis, a former mechanic, lay in wait for Miss . Pearson and intended to murder her but was thwarted by a brave passing . woman driver who stopped and ran into the Exeter graveyard to intervene. Recalling the terrifying attack last October, Miss Pearson said: ‘The first I knew about it was when I was stabbed in the back. I turned and saw it was Joe. ‘I saw his eyes and he looked absolutely furious. The first blow pushed me to the floor and he kicked me and was trying to drag me along into the Catacombs. That was where it was going to end. I tried to get free. I felt another kick and stab from behind. ‘I thought this is going to go on until I am dead. He was deranged and so evil. I had six stab wounds in total on my back. ‘I remember seeing the scissors and turning my head and seeing them come down. I saw his eyes were full of murder. He definitely wanted me to die. ‘I was struggling and screaming and pleading. I remember saying, “Please, Joe, no”. He never spoke to me throughout the whole thing.’ Asked at Exeter Crown Court if she felt let down by the police’s failure to catch her stalker, she replied: ‘Of course I did.’ She recounted numerous incidents of intimidation committed by Willis, including her bike tyres being slashed, phone calls, ‘frightening text messages, anonymous horrible letters, broken windows, many instances of damage to my car, graffiti on the walls and pavements in my street and instances during the night when my door was banged or had paint thrown at it.’ 'Let down': Miss Pearson criticised Devon and Cornwall Police's handling of her case which was only bought to court after Willis launched the physical attack in a cemetery . She told the court: ‘I became more and more afraid, not knowing what the stalker would do next. I imagined he would attack and rape me. ‘Stalking is an apt name for what I was dealing with as I felt like an animal being constantly hunted. ‘Ordinary life was impossible. Finding a dead cat on my doorstep was heart-breaking and I feared it was a warning. ‘I was convinced the stalker was going to kill me but I felt powerless to do anything about it. ‘I felt let down by the authorities that should have been there to help me, that no one cared and that I was a nuisance. I was shocked.’ Willis later turned his attentions to her parents’ home, causing damage, phoning them, and sending malicious letters. He even sent their neighbours a letter pretending to be from the Pearsons saying they ran sex parties. The couple have now lodged an official complaint against Devon and Cornwall Police. Judge Paul Darlow told Willis, who had denied the charge but admitted wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, he faced an ‘inevitably lengthy sentence’. Detective Inspector Mike Robison defended the way police had dealt with scores of reports of harassment during the five years in which Willis stalked his victim before the attack. He said the force is carrying out an internal review which has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. He said: ‘This case has been hugely testing for Helen Pearson and her family and they can hopefully move on with their lives as a result of the verdict.’
A woman reported a stalker to the police 125 times graveyard. Joe Willis, 49, dragged Helen Pearson life, the 34-year-old was only saved when a times before he attacked her in a cemetery. He was convicted of attempted murder on Tuesday . down': Miss Pearson criticised Devon and Cornwall Police's handling of her case which was only