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‘Every time I saw her I had a little heart attack inside’: ‘Terrified’ bus driver was stalked by an obsessed woman passenger for THREE YEARS

Imre Marton has finally spoken out about the stalker who made his life a living hell

A BUS driver speak out about his three years of pure hell after a passenger stalked him even setting up Facebook accounts in his name and travelling on his route for hours each day.

Imre Marton, 31, was charming to those boarding his No 32 service but his friendliness made him the target of troubled Charlie Howells' advances.

A bus driver has finally spoken out about his terrifying ordeal in which a passenger started stalking him
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A bus driver has finally spoken out about his terrifying ordeal in which a passenger started stalking himCredit: PA

Now she has appeared at Oxford Crown Court, where she has been jailed for five years after being convicted of harassment and breaching a restraining order but Imre fears it’s not long enough.

Howells, 22, learnt Imre’s timetable and turned up on his break, after he transferred to escape her advances she tracked him down.

She opened social media accounts in his name, threw water over him, which he feared was acid, and threatened to kill him.

 

Charlie Howells would turn up to his bus and ride it for hours each day
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Charlie Howells would turn up to his bus and ride it for hours each dayCredit: PA

He said: "I can't forgive her for what she's done to me. She destroyed every part of my life for three years. I thought she was going to kill me.

"As soon as she is released from prison she will try and find me.

"She needs help. She is dangerous, I'm really afraid. I've accepted my life will never be the same again."

Imre first became aware of Howells in spring 2012, after she got on his Thames Travel bus, connecting Wantage and Abingdon in Oxfordshire "more and more".

"She'd make round trips for hours," he revealed. "She'd make eye contact with me in the mirror.”

And one day Imre Marton was approached by Charlie at the depot
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And one day Imre Marton was approached by Charlie at the depotCredit: PA

In July 2012 she approached him while he was on his break at the depot – and told him she loved him.

"Shocked" Imre turned her down, but she started crying, but the next day she was back on the bus and started to turn up in shops and cafes where he was to hand him love notes.

He continued: "Every time I saw her I had a little heart attack inside.

"I began to hate my job. Seeing her smiling at me everywhere put extra pressure on me. She grew bolder.

“She followed me into a Sainsbury's cafe when I was on my lunch break and I'd had enough."

She declared her love for him and burst into tears when he let her down, but soon she would start stalking him in cafes
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She declared her love for him and burst into tears when he let her down, but soon she would start stalking him in cafesCredit: PA

Later in 2012 police were called and Howells was given a warning, but went on to find Imre’s Facebook account and bombard him with hundreds of messages.

He deleted his account and applied for a transfer away from Oxford city centre.

He said: "I didn't want to transfer but I had no choice."

Imre had also got a new girlfriend and things seemed to be going well. But by March 2014, Howells had tracked him down again.

"She apologised for making me move and said she wanted to be my friend," he said. "I asked her to stay out of my life."

The stalking became so bad that Imre had to transfer away from Oxford but Charlie managed to track him down
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The stalking became so bad that Imre had to transfer away from Oxford but Charlie managed to track him downCredit: PA

In August 2014 Imre secured a two-year restraining order banning Howells from Oxford, his bus route and any form of contact, but she ignored it.

Imre continued: "She was like Rain Man, she'd memorise my schedules and began to get closer and closer to me.

"She'd stand inches behind me smelling me.

"I'd feel her breath on me. She was like a ninja, she would appear from nowhere. She was always there."

To avoid her he cut his bus shifts and started working as a bouncer, but she found him.

It all became too much when she got hold of his number and started bombarding him with messages
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It all became too much when she got hold of his number and started bombarding him with messagesCredit: PA

He continued: "She got hold of my phone number and called me at every time of day. I had to change the number. I began to see no way out.

“I felt so alone. It's not manly but I'd break down and cry. My daily routine was to call 101 or 999. It became my life.

"She told me the game was up and she was going to kill me. She ran her finger across her throat."

In April last year, he was in Oxford with a colleague, when Howells threw water in his face.

"I freaked out because I thought it was acid," he said. "I hit rock bottom, unable to sleep or think of anything else. She then turned up at my home.

Imre reported Charlie to the police after she threw water on his face and she was arrested and jailed
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Imre reported Charlie to the police after she threw water on his face and she was arrested and jailedCredit: PA

In August last year, with Howells screaming at him in the street, he called police and she was remanded; now he is back driving the No. 32 again.

He said: "I think she needs psychiatric help. I lost a lot of money due to her. And she caused huge difficulties with my ex-girlfriend.

"I worked at night so I never saw my girlfriend and she became scared she'd become a target. It's a reason we're no longer together. I was heartbroken."

The bus driver is now studying IT to change his career, before his stalker is released.

He explained: "If I stay as a bus driver I'll be an easy target. She will never give up. She's tracked me down once before and she will again. I hate her for what she's done to me."

Now, Imre is training in IT, so he can start afresh but he's currently back to driving his bus
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Now, Imre is training in IT, so he can start afresh but he's currently back to driving his busCredit: Torch One time usage images

Passing sentence, Judge Ian Pringle told her: "Some would say you are just a nuisance. Those people will not have read the victim impact statement from Mr Marton. The effect upon his life has been devastating, both emotionally in his employment, and financially.

"You suffer from what's known as emotionally unstable personality disorder. It is a serious condition. You need help to treat that; unless you are willing, nobody can do anything."

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