'Pick-up artist' Adnan Ahmed jailed for two years for threatening behaviour

Adnan Ahmed was convicted of five counts of threatening and abusive behaviour towards young women

Update: Adnan Ahmed's conviction was quashed on appeal after three judges ruled the verdict was a miscarriage of justice

A so-called pick-up artist who targeted "young and vulnerable" women has been jailed for two years.

Adnan Ahmed - who called himself Addy A-game - secretly filmed himself approaching dozens of women in Glasgow and Lanarkshire.

Ahmed was convicted last month of threatening and abusive behaviour towards five women.

The 38-year-old from Maryhill, Glasgow, has also been placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Police launched an investigation after his actions were revealed by the BBC's The Social earlier this year.

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The self-styled "lifestyle coach" would approach women in the street, often secretly filming the encounter and posting videos offering advice to other men.

In the videos, he offered tips on how to overcome "last-minute resistance" to sex. One clip included audio of a woman apparently recorded during sex.

Five young women, aged between 16 and 21, gave evidence at his trial about how they had been intimidated by Ahmed in Glasgow city centre and in Uddingston, South Lanarkshire.

Passing sentence, Sheriff Lindsay Wood said Ahmed - who has been on remand in prison since January - had shown a lack of remorse.

He told him: "You gave evidence and said that the victims were lying or mistaken, but the jury thought otherwise.

"It was very obvious when they gave evidence how they were affected.

"You have acquired notoriety and an unenviable reputation, the public will be wise to such inappropriate behaviour by you and others like you."

The trial heard how Ahmed approached two schoolgirls in a secluded lane in Uddingston, South Lanarkshire, in 2016, when they were aged 16 and 17.

He called one of them "pretty", tried to get her phone number and made her feel "uncomfortable" but she walked away.

Adnan Ahmed, appearing here in one of his online videos, claimed they were educational

Another woman broke down in court as she described how Ahmed followed her through Glasgow city centre and grabbed her head as he tried to kiss her.

The BBC investigation into Ahmed earlier this year revealed a wider pattern of predatory behaviour.

Ahmed was part of a global network of "pick-up artists" who practise what they call "game".

YouTube has since removed hundreds of videos and deactivated two channels run by Addy A-Game and another group called Street Attraction following a BBC investigation into the online industry.

A social worker who compiled a background report on Ahmed prior to sentencing described his behaviour as "entrenched."

Defence counsel Donna Armstrong said: "The accused accepts he was convicted and will change the way he speaks to women."

His two-year sentence was backdated to January when he was first remanded in custody.