24 Hours in Police Custody Megan Brailsford on stalking

Megan Brailsford featured on Monday night's (November 25) episode of the Channel 4 show entitled The Murder Messages.

The episode saw how Megan became the victim of her ex-partner, Daniel Dugdale, as he began cyberstalking her once they split up.

Megan and Dugdale met around four years ago, and at the time he appeared to be friendly and chatty. Looking back, Megan said that Dugdale had been "very persistent".

Two years into their relationship, Dugdale became verbally and physically abusive towards Megan. She recalled: "One time as I slept facing the wall, he scratched my back to the point it was bleeding.

"He cheated on me all the time. He got very mouthy and ‘handsy’, especially after a drink."

Megan and Dugdale separated, but an investigation was launched in January 2023 when Megan began receiving a series of disturbing messages and hoax calls.

Megan Brailsford featured in the latest episode of 24 Hours in Police Custody. (Image: Cambridgeshire Police) She initially believed that Dugdale had done something to annoy someone, and this was their way of getting back at him.

Megan was then faced with armed police at her door several times following reports that she had murdered her children.

She said: "He tried to get my children taken off me, it’s every parent’s worst fear.

"He tried to wreck my career that I’ve worked so hard for - I could’ve lost my home. I felt like I was going insane".

Response officers, an armed vehicle and three ambulances were deployed to her house after false reports of a man being stabbed in her home. 

Another message, posing as Megan, was sent to the Cambridgeshire Constabulary live web chat saying: "I've killed my kids... I need your help... I've buried them on the dog walking trail."

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Megan received anonymous messages ranging from, "you look beautiful today", to "let me kill you", to rape and death threats. Herself, her mother and her work place all received no caller ID calls too.

"It was relentless," said Megan, a veterinary nurse. "If I wasn’t getting phone calls, it would be messages. It was constant. It was a full-time job for him.

"He made many fake accounts in my name," she said. "One day I was at work my family and best friend called in floods of tears asking if I was alive – they had received messages to say I had died."

Megan also received an anonymous threat referring to a picture of her dog on Facebook, which said, “she’s a beautiful dog, shame if she got hurt”.

"I also received pictures of dead dogs – ones that that looked like mine," she added.

An email purporting to be from Megan, was sent to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) asking to be removed from the register.

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Throughout the three months, Dugdale played the victim and claimed he was being harassed. 

The pair were asked to hand their phones over for analysis, but Dugdale evaded investigating officers by cancelling appointments.

However, strong evidence was found on Megan’s phone records linking Dugdale to the incidents and he was arrested in March last year. During one stint, he called her every four seconds.

In police interview, Dugdale admitted to DC Emily Richardson that he "might’ve lied".

"I was trying to hurt her, so she would need me," he said.

Daniel Dugdale was jailed for three years and nine months in April 2024. (Image: Cambridgeshire Police) Dugdale pleaded guilty to two counts of stalking involving alarm/distress and perverting the course of justice. At Cambridge Crown Court in April this year, Dugdale was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.

Since the ordeal, Megan has moved house and changed her workplace "to feel safe".

"Being stalked is not just about being followed," she said.

"There are different forms, and it can make you feel so isolated. When I was going through it, I became depressed and a recluse – I didn’t trust anyone," she said.

"To anyone in that situation, I would say get help – whether it be the police, charities, family and friends.

"When I reported it, I thought the officer would think I was some mad person. But Emily listened to me and took it very seriously."

DC Emily Richardson investigated the case. (Image: Cambridgeshire Police) DC Emily Richardson, who investigated, said: "This case demonstrates the huge impact stalking can have.

"Dugdale manipulated Megan to try to destroy every aspect of her life, without her knowing it was him, so I am pleased he is in prison."