A man who stalked a woman, made hundreds of calls to her phone, sent abusive messages, and even impersonated a police officer to harass her has been sharply criticised by a judge at Bradford Crown Court.

Asir Aziz denied all wrongdoing when interviewed by police following a two-month period of stalking between May and July 2023 in which he turned up at the woman’s home in the early hours and followed her to work where he grabbed a knife to threaten her.

Prosecutor Marte Alnaes said the stalking reached its height when the woman received a late-night phone call from someone purporting to be from West Yorkshire Police.

She said: “A person on the other end … said she was under investigation for money laundering offences.

“As a result of this behaviour the defendant was arrested.”

During three interviews by police Aziz, 48, of Lightowler Close, Halifax, denied assault and harassment. He later pleaded guilty to stalking the woman who, the court heard, had been “utterly traumatised” by his actions.

His behaviour was described as “completely unacceptable” and “totally egregious” by Mr Recorder Paul Reid who imposed a restraining order upon him plus a 24-month community order including 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Aziz, who has been in custody since July last year, was told he would be released from HMP Leeds as the maximum sentence the judge could have imposed was shorter than the period he had already spent in prison.