A CAMPAIGNER who fought for a change in the law to protect the victims of stalking has been honoured with a new award.

Ann Moulds founded Action Scotland Against Stalking after she was subjected to years of abuse by Alex Reid, who bombarded her with sexually explicit text messages.

She has now received the Inspiring Individual award bestowed by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, the charity for personal safety, at the UK National Safety Awards.

Ms Moulds said: "Since the launch of ASAS in 2009 we have been instrumental in driving forward major breakthroughs, most notably the introduction of the 'Offence of Stalking' sec 39 Criminal Justice & Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010.

"The introduction of stalking as a specific crime into the Council of Europe's Istanbul Treaty was ratified on August 1 this year, and in England & Wales, the introduction of two new offences of stalking into the Protection of Freedoms Act, 2012.

"Collectively these pieces of legislation herald the transformation from a tacit acceptance of what on the surface appears to be slightly annoying behaviour to the recognition that stalking is actually a dangerous deviant social syndrome."

The National Personal Safety Awards celebrates work across the UK to keep people safe from violence.