Stalker left driving instructor fearing acid attack

Nottingham Crown Court
Image caption,

Maksood Sadiq was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court

  • Published

A man who stalked a female driving instructor for six years , leaving her in fear she would be the victim of an acid attack, has been given a suspended sentence.

Nottinghamshire Police said Maksood Sadiq first contacted the victim in 2016 when he arranged driving lessons on behalf of his wife.

The 47-year-old spent the next six years bombarding the woman with unwanted text messages and phone call, turning up at her lessons and setting up a social media account to declare his love for her.

At Nottingham Crown Court he was given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to stalking involving serious alarm and distress.

Police said after Sadiq's wife began her driving lessons, his messages to the instructor became more personal and he refused to stop when asked.

Despite his wife passing her test in 2017, Sadiq continued to bombard his victim with unwanted messages and calls, including sending her romantic Bollywood songs.

He then began appearing at her driving lessons several times a week where he would park next to her and watch her.

This continued for several years and in June 2022 the victim discovered a social media using a picture of her as the profile photo, with Sadiq using the account to declare his love and infatuation for her.

When the account was contacted, the username and profile picture were changed to “enough of Mr Nice Guy”.

'Campaign of abuse'

The victim contacted police in July 2022 and Sadiq was arrested the following day.

Officers said the driving instructor told them Sadiq's stalking had left her terrified she would become the victim of an acid attack.

At sentencing on 26 July, Sadiq, of Prestwood Drive, Nottingham, was also given a five-year restraining order and told to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and 25 days of rehabilitation activity.

He must also pay £500 compensation to the victim and a £100 victim surcharge.

PC Eve Foley, of Nottinghamshire Police said: “Maksood Sadiq is a stalker who has shown little remorse for his actions over this six-year campaign of abuse.

"Nobody is entitled to intimidate and monitor somebody in this way.

“Sadiq will have known perfectly well that his behaviour was unwanted and caused clear distress to the victim, but he continued regardless."

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