Kate Ritchie catches a flight at Sydney airport with nine-year-old daughter Mae... after Nova star's stalking nightmare revealed

By Matt Demarco For Daily Mail Australia 13:26 18 Apr 2024, updated 14:19 18 Apr 2024

• READ MORE: Kate Ritchie responds to romance rumours with Daniel Ricciardo 

Kate Ritchie flew out of Sydney Airport on Thursday, accompanied by her lookalike daughter Mae.

The former Home and Away star, 45, appeared to be in a hurry as she led her nine-year-old girl through the terminal.

Kate, who shares Mae with ex-NRL star Stuart Webb, went for a cosy look with an earth tone jumper over a red undershirt. 

While wearing comfy blue jeans, she held a red cardigan and green jacket slung over one arm.

The radio star wore statement spectacles and a leather cross-body bag as she pushed her luggage to check in.

She wore her long brown locks down and she held her daughter's hand as they walked. 

Mae meanwhile wore a simple white T-shirt and blue jeans with Converse sneakers.

The trip comes just weeks after Ritchie's stalker nightmare came to light.

Earlier this month, it was revealed Ritchie made a phone call to NSW Police after receiving a message from Gerard Ryan, 71, which said he was in the suburb where she lives and hoped to find her.

He had sent her 'hundreds' of messages from February 2022 through to April 2023, including 'numerous naked photographs of the accused and numerous videos of the accused masturbating', police facts, seen by the Daily Telegraph, claimed.

Ryan was arrested at a park in Sydney's eastern suburbs last month and charged with stalking charge, which he pleaded guilty to. He was also hit with an apprehended violence order banning him from approaching Ritchie.

Waverley Local Court was told Ryan's obsession with the TV star began last year when he started posting on her social media accounts comments including, 'Hello Kate … I love you so much'.

Another post said: 'I just want to kiss you my heart is pounding for you I love you madly'.

Ryan posted very explicit messages of a sexual nature about Ritchie on his own social media pages, and when she didn't respond it got worse.

The police facts also indicated Ryan had said he wanted to marry Ritchie and referenced her daughter, saying he would make 'a good stepfather'.

In February he sent a letter to her work address which included a Valentine's Day card.

In a subsequent letter he included a photograph of himself and another of a church with the inscription: ‘The church we could get married one day. It’s on Rottnest Island.'

Ryan posted this along with a $200 gift card, saying it was to replace her lawnmower, which Ritchie had mentioned had blown up on her Nova radio show.

Before his arrest, Ryan posted on Facebook images from his trip to Sydney, including an Eastern Suburbs hotel, the Australian National Maritime Museum and Waverley Cemetery.

Ryan was sentenced to a 12-month Conditional Release Order and an AVO states he must not go within 500m of Ritchie's home or workplace.