Artist Walter Kershaw receives suspended jail sentence for harassing former lover

Walter Kershaw

Local artist Walter Kershaw has received a suspended jail sentence for harassing his former lover.

Kershaw, who became infatuated with his life model, Catherine Mitchell, in 2006, appeared at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on 24 May, where he admitted three breaches of the restraining order on 24, 27 and 29 December 2018.

He was sentenced to 20 weeks in jail suspended for a year and ordered to complete 100 hours unpaid work and play costs and surcharges of £200. He must also complete a rehabilitation activity requirement.

Kershaw, of Littleborough, was given a restraining order in 2013 after admitting charges of harassment brought against him by Miss Mitchell after they broke up.

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It is understood that Kershaw stalked Miss Mitchell after he became infatuated with her when she agreed to pose nude for him. They then began a twelve month affair.

After the relationship fizzled out, Kershaw began pursuing his ex-lover and would wait outside churches, follow her around the aisles of supermarkets, would send her love letters and romantic cards and would slowly drive past her home blowing kisses at her.

Kershaw also pestered Miss Mitchell's mother by turning up at her house to ask about her daughter, and also placed an oil painting of Miss Mitchell in the front window of his art gallery in Littleborough.

He had also tried to grab her arms whilst asking her to get into his car.

Walter Kershaw rose to fame in the 1970s and was dubbed the ‘original Bansky’ after his large-scale murals on houses caught people’s attention.

During his career, he appeared on BBC TV and radio shows and did interviews with the likes of Janet Street Porter, Anna Ford and the late Russell Harty.

His work has been displayed as far as Sao Paolo in Brazil.