Burnley man, Graeme Hannigan, stalked family for 17 years and continued when they moved to Australia Graeme Hannigan, 43, started stalking campaign against family in 1996 Convicted of making threats to kill, after which it stopped for several years More recently he started posting information about them on Facebook He tracked one of them down to Australia through the website Has now admitted harassing two of them between April and June this year Graeme Hannigan, 43, from Burnley, Lancashire, began his stalking campaign against Ann Brierley and her two daughters Lisa and Carrie-Anne in 1996 A stalker who started spying on a family 17 years ago traced one of his victims 8,000 miles away to Australia, a court heard. Graeme Hannigan, 43, from Burnley, Lancashire, began his stalking campaign against Anne Brierley and her two daughters Lisa and Carrie-Anne in 1996. He was eventually convicted of making threats to kill, after which nothing happened for several years. But in more recent times he regularly posted information about their movements on Facebook and even tracked Carrie-Anne down when she emigrated to Australia through the website. Hannighan, who put his workplace on Facebook as 'Tardis' contacted where she worked and told them she was an illegal immigrant. On one occasion he wrongly believed she was back home in Burnley and claimed in a Facebook entry he had seen her standing outside a Farmfoods supermarket adding: 'I was right. She's back home. There is nothing for her down under. Mrs Brierley later told police: 'I was terrified somebody was going to kill my daughter and she was frightened to death herself. He appears to be trying to monitor all our movements and intrude into our privacy. We were frightened of him and what he might do. 'He's obviously a disturbed individual and concerned at him watching us. He has been harassing us for 17 years and I am struggling to sleep at night. I am really terrified where this may end up going. Hannigan admitted harassing Mrs Brierley and Lisa on or between April 21 and June 15, this year at Burnley Magistrates' Court. The court heard his campaign against the family had first started in 1996, when he became obsessed with Carrie-Anne, then 17, when she worked at a cinema in Brierfield. Hannigan admitted harassing Mrs Brierley and Lisa on or between April 21 and June 15, this year at Burnley Magistrates' Court (pictured) He bombarded her with letters, and was eventually traced and convicted of an offence of making threats to kill. Nothing then happened for several years while Carrie-Anne emigrated to Australia and married. But Hannigan suddenly acquired a 'vast amount of details' about Carrie-Anne and her new life and posted messages on her Facebook page. He had also taken a photograph from one of her Facebook accounts and put it on his own. He was later cautioned for harassment after the police were informed. But prosecutor Alex Mann said Hannigan's behaviour had had a serious detrimental effect upon the family's life. Lisa Wilkinson told her mother she had been sent a friend request on Facebook by Hannigan. She searched the profile and found four distressing wall posts referring to Mrs Brierley and her family. Hannigan admitted harassing Mrs Brierley and Lisa on or between April 21 and June 15, this year at Burnley Magistrate's Court The prosecutor said during the recent offence, Hannigan had not made threats and the material on the social networking site was not offensive, but it involved planning. Ms Wilkinson told her mother she had received a friend request by Hannigan and she searched his profile where she found four distressing wall posts, clearly referring to Mrs Brierley and her family. Miss Mann added that Mrs Brierley had not suffered any physical harm, but Hannigan's conduct had an effect on her mental health. She said: 'She is now concerned he is watching her.' Defence lawyer Daniel Frazer said it was quite understandable why somebody would be upset by his actions. He said Hannigan was not following the family around and each incident was a chance meeting which he then publicised on social media sites. Mr Frazer said Hannigan had recently been found to have Aarskog - Scott syndrome an inherited disease characterized by short stature, facial abnormalities, skeletal and genital anomalies. The solicitor said: 'He has difficulties with cognitive thinking and can't necessarily see the outcome of his behaviour.' Hannigan was released on bail until October 29 and ordered not to contact his victims or access social media sites The bench chairman said it must have been a very harrowing time for Anne Brierley and her family and it had gone on so long for the victims. A picture of Doctor Who's tardis which was on Hannigan's Facebook page He said Hannigan had very little perception of what was right and wrong and added: 'We do feel a psychiatric report should be obtained.' On Hannigan's Facebook page he describes himself as working at Tardis and studied at Academy Of Timelords and regularly posted entries about what programme he was watching on TV. His profile picture was of the Tardis. On his Twitter page he repeatedly sent a number of messages to a variety of celebrities including Simon Cowell, David Walliams and Michelle Keegan.