AN ‘obsessive’ stalker who sent his victim more than a thousand messages after their relationship was over is banned from contacting her by a 25-year restraining order.

Zoheb Mehmood, who met the woman on a dating site, began insisting that she stay on the phone to him until 4am or he would attend at her home and sound his horn, Bradford Crown Court heard.

He refused to accept that the relationship was over and sent her more than a thousand messages, many of them abusive, prosecutor Andrew Stranex said on Monday.

He turned up outside her address, beeping his horn and shouting. Mehmood, 40, of Springfield Street, West Bowling, Bradford, pleaded guilty to stalking, between February 2021 and May last year, after declining to accept a police caution for his conduct.

Mr Stranex said the police uncovered evidence of excessive phone contact from Mehmood who called the woman a liar when he was questioned.

‘He said he wasn’t right in the head because of her,’ the court heard.

He had previous convictions but not for anything similar.

Mr Stranex said it was ‘persistent and prolonged conduct intended to maximise fear and distress.’ The woman had to take sick leave and undergo counselling.

She described the situation as unbearable in her victim impact statement.

Fuad Arshad said in mitigation that Mehmood accepted that his behaviour was unacceptable. He had genuine love and affection for the woman and when the relationship broke down he was heartbroken and handled the situation very badly.

There had been no repetition of such behaviour with the complainant or any other woman.

Mehmood was in full-time employment and a new relationship. He was very sorry and regretful for what he had done, Mr Arshad said.

Judge Colin Burn said his behaviour to cause a disturbance outside the woman’s house.

It was pestering on a chronic and insidious basis that had a corrosive effect on his victim’s psychology.

Mehmood was sentenced to ten months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with the Building Better Relationships programme and up to 20 rehabilitation activity days.

The 25-year restraining order bans him from contacting or approaching the woman in any way or going to her address.