In 2026, the Offender Database reported that Matthew Cooney, then 31, of Stretworth Drive, Worsley, Greater Manchester, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison. On Wednesday, 4 February 2026, Cooney appeared at Liverpool Crown Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to stalking a 13-year-old schoolgirl in a case described by the judge as “cruel and repulsive.”
The investigation established that in 2015, Cooney, who was then 21, developed a predatory obsession with a 13-year-old girl after seeing her get off a bus at Eastham Rake, Wirral, Merseyside. He travelled from Manchester to the Wirral specifically to target her, following her in his car and relentlessly demanding her phone number despite her attempts to hide. For six months, he bombarded the child with violent threats, including claims that he would kidnap her, kill her, and send her body parts to her mother.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Cooney ignored the victim’s repeated reminders of her age and used extreme psychological manipulation, including sending photos of himself self-harming and holding a knife to his throat to coerce her into a meeting. When the victim attempted to block him, he created multiple accounts to continue the harassment. Prosecutor Joanne Daniels detailed how the stalking escalated to her school, where Cooney approached other students to pass messages, and eventually threatened her father with claims of having a gun.
Judge Ian Harris noted that Cooney had originally been due to face court in June 2016 but fled to the United States, where he lived illegally for several years. He was only brought to justice after being deported in November 2025 and arrested upon arrival at Heathrow Airport. The judge emphasised that the defendant’s behaviour had a profound and lasting impact on the victim’s life, disrupting her education and causing immense fear for her family’s safety.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Matthew Cooney was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Three years and six months in immediate custody.
- Restraining Order: A 15-year order banning any contact with the victim.
- Conviction: Pled guilty to stalking.
- Status: Deported from the USA to face prosecution following a decade of evading justice.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Cooney is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Merseyside Police, Greater Manchester Police, and the prison estate. Due to the “reprehensible” nature of his threats toward a 13-year-old and his history of fleeing the jurisdiction, his management is subject to high-level oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
Authorities state that the 15-year restraining order is a critical measure to protect the survivor as she continues her life in the Wirral, Merseyside. Cooney’s residence in Worsley, Greater Manchester, will be strictly monitored upon his eventual release. Any breach of his registration conditions, his restraining order, or his licence terms will result in his immediate arrest and return to Liverpool Crown Court.
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