A MUM-of-one was left suicidal after being terrorised by her stalker ex-boyfriend.

Tracy Gow, 39, from Scotland, had a "brief relationship" with Stewart Houston, 38, and was tormented by him after the split.

The most terrifying incident saw Houston sneak into Tracy's bedroom and leave a bouquet of red roses on her pillow.

Tracy, who works in customer services, has bravely spoken out as she believes the police need to take action against stalkers. In fact, figures suggest over one million people are stalked in the UK every year, but last year just 806 stalkers were prosecuted.

Tracy told Fabulous Digital: “Stalkers ruin their victim’s lives. I became suicidal because of what happened.

"Police need to take serious action, instead of leaving victims to fend for themselves.”

Tracy met builder Houston in July 2016 while he was working on her neighbour’s garden.

She said: “Stewart asked me out, but I brushed off his advances at first. Eventually I agreed to go for dinner just as friends.”

The pair quickly bonded and over the next two weeks saw each other regularly. She said: "One night Stewart said he’d love to date me. Although I didn’t feel a spark between us, I thought it could grow in time, so I agreed to try.”

But, a week later, Houston had practically moved in to Tracy’s home. “He brought round more of his clothes and belongings," she said. “I told him it was too soon but he didn’t take the hint.”

By this point, Houston's behaviour became suffocating - he wouldn’t let Tracy walk her dogs on her own or even visit the supermarket alone.

By September, Tracy had had enough and told him to move out. “He started to cry and told me he loved me," she said. “It was so bizarre, we hadn’t even slept together yet. I told him I needed space. He reluctantly left.”

But two days later, Tracy’s son Liam, now 19, told her that Houston had let himself into her home and put flowers on her bed.

She said: “Horrified, I realised he must have made a copy of my keys. So I texted him immediately, demanding he return them and get his belongings.

"I told him it was over. But his reply shocked me. He said: ‘your keys are my keys now’.”

That night Tracy received dozens of calls from unknown numbers and texts from Houston, begging her to take him back.

The next morning she noticed his car parked opposite her house. "Terrified, I called the police, but they said his behaviour wasn’t threatening and told me to close my curtains," she said.

By November, Houston was harassing Tracy every day. He even told her he’d installed cameras in her home so he could watch her.

Tracy said the police didn't act and she lost all her confidence, barely leaving the house.

She said: “I blocked his number, but he phoned me from withheld numbers.

“Each night he’d wait outside my house in his car. By this point I was suicidal, only my son and dogs, Caesar and Poppy kept me going.”

Then, later that month, two policemen turned up Tracy’s door. She thought they were finally taking Houston's harassment seriously, but her hopes were dashed.

One of the officers told her that Houston had accused her of stealing £120 and they needed to take her to the station for questioning.

She said: “I was absolutely dumbfounded. At the police station, I had to remove my shoes and hand over my mobile.

“It was humiliating. I was interrogated for nearly three hours. I explained what he’d been doing to me, but they didn’t listen.”

Afterwards Tracy was put in a cell for an hour until police realised she was innocent and let her go.

She said: “They told me they’d have a word with Stewart, but I accepted I’d never get help.”

In January 2017, Tracy moved away desperate to escape Houston. Then, in February, a police officer told her that another complaint had been made against Houston.

She said: “I gave a statement. Eventually Stewart was charged with two counts of stalking - one against another woman.”

Thankfully Tracy had kept the texts and a diary of his harassment as evidence.

In February 2018, Stewart Houston of Wallacestone, Falkirk, appeared at Stirling Sheriff Court and pleaded guilty. He was jailed for 17 months and given a non-harassment order for five years.

Tracy said: “He was released after serving just four months. It’s appalling. More needs to be done to protect victims of stalking.

“During his campaign of harassment, there was a catalogue of terrifying incidents I reported, that weren’t taken seriously by police.

“I’m certain Stewart would’ve seriously hurt me if he wasn’t stopped. I just hope I never see his face again.”

A Police Scotland spokesman told Fabulous Digital: "Following reports relating to the stalking and harassment of a 38-year-old woman in Skinflats in 2016, a 37-year-old man was arrested and charged.

"We treat all reports of such incidents with the utmost seriousness and will always conduct a thorough and professional investigation to identify those responsible and provide victims with any support they may require.

"When dealing with these incidents, officers may offer the public advice and guidance to help keep themselves safe or to give them additional reassurance, but this is never in place of conducting appropriate investigative work."