MEDIA, Pa. — A man has vowed in court to resume stalking a Philadelphia TV news reporter as soon as his probation for doing so expires in 15 years.
Christopher Nilan, 32, made that promise at Wednesday's sentencing for stalking a female KYW-TV reporter, The Delaware County Daily Times reported.
"I'm not going to give it up," the Upper Darby man told the judge. "I want to be with her. I'm the only person who can protect her."
Nilan became obsessed with the reporter in November and kept trying to contact her, sometimes through a male reporter at the CBS affiliate, even after she told him the station discourages reporters from having relationships with viewers.
Nilan was arrested in January and charged with stalking, then police filed additional stalking and terroristic threat charges after Nilan called the station and left "nasty, nasty phone messages," Upper Darby police Chief Michael Chitwood said.
A station spokesman isn't commenting. Nilan's attorney stressed that his client never threatened to harm the reporter.
Delaware County Judge Gregory Mallon fashioned a combination sentence, known as intermediate punishment, to keep close tabs on Nilan for nearly two years before he spends 13 more years on probation.
Nilan has been jailed since his arrest and will be paroled June 25 as part of the 23-month intermediate punishment sentence meted out by the judge. He'll then spend three months confined to his home with an electronic ankle bracelet and tracked by GPS for the remainder of his intermediate punishment. He must also submit to outpatient mental health treatment.
The judge told Nilan he needs to give up his fixation with the reporter — or else.
"So you make the choice," Mallon said. "It's a very simple thing. You abide by what I say, or you go back to prison."