BIRMINGHAM STALKER'S TEXTS HE SENT TO GYM INSTRUCTOR 'HE BARELY SPOKE TO'
A man who believed himself to be the 'safest person on earth' and harassed a gym instructor for over a year was convicted of stalking that caused her significant distress.The 58-year-old from Hall Green, a qualified chartered accountant, engaged in over 100 unsettling Facebook messages across three accounts, despite having little interaction with the woman beyond brief greetings at the gym.
He also exhibited disturbing behaviour by watching her leave her workplace from a car park, following her, and driving his Jaguar along her street up to eight times daily while smiling at her home.
Ahmed admitted to a court hearing that he sent the messages, which included a plea for her to 'sort this' and expressed his commitment with statements like 'I will always be by your side' and 'for you I'm the safest person on earth,' despite never receiving a response.
Prosecutor Naz Khattak detailed one of the messages, which started: 'We need to sort this I have spent thousands of nights coming down so I can keep you here.' The messages aimed at forming a relationship, even though their contact was minimal and limited to passing greetings.
Defence lawyer Ray McVeighty argued that the messages lacked threatening or sexual content, describing Ahmed’s feelings as 'affectionate' and characterizing his obsession as 'stupidity.' The victim suffered worsened medical issues, increased anxiety, and felt unsafe in her own home, leading her to seek private therapy and install CCTV surveillance.
The case highlighted the profound psychological impact of Ahmed’s behaviour.
McVeighty explained that Ahmed’s actions stemmed from personal difficulties, including the breakdown of his marriage and loss of their joint business.
He acknowledged that Ahmed was deluded into believing the woman was attracted to him.
The lawyer emphasised that Ahmed had not approached, touched, or harmed her physically, asserting that his love was unrequited and that he was both foolish and criminal.
He also noted that Ahmed had no prior convictions and was an important support for his children and elderly mother.
The defence requested a community order or a suspended sentence, warning that imprisonment would ruin his life.
However, the magistrates felt their sentencing powers were limited and referred the case to Birmingham Crown Court.
Ahmed was released on bail with conditions to prevent contact with the victim.
