Thursday 16 March 2017

Schoolgirl Stalker Spied On Teenager From Car

A creepy stalker was caught after his 14 year-old girl victim woke from a nightmare and told her mother about him staring at her from his car as she walked to school.

Palbin Gurung, 31, spent months parking his vehicle on her Twickenham route, driving from junction to junction to get ahead of her and watch as she passed by.

Gurung, of Harlington Road East, Feltham pleaded guilty to stalking, which involved serious harm or distress, between June 1 and November 30, last year.

This week at Wimbledon Magistrates Court he received 18 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 18 months and was ordered to complete 100 hours community service.

He must also pay the victim £200 compensation and was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £115 victim surcharge.

Prosecutor Miss Mary Atere told the court: “This relates to the stalking of the victim, who was fourteen years-old at the time.

“She says she noticed the defendant following her in his car on her normal route to and from school.

“She was wearing school uniform and it was obvious she was of school age.

“The defendant would drive up to the next junction and park his vehicle and constantly stare and follow her with his eyes.

“He did not get out of the vehicle and he would smile at her on some occasions.

“She changed her route to school to avoid certain roads and there were times she did not want to go to school or leave the house.

“It only came to light when she had a nightmare about the defendant and woke at 2am and told her mother.

“Her step-father then followed her to school and took the vehicle’s registration number.”

This helped police trace and arrest Gurung, who told them: “I admit I have been waiting along the route. I have no intention of scaring her or her family or doing it again.”

Miss Atere added: “He ignores the obvious distress to the victim and the fact she changes her normal route.

“He has frightened her and has had an impact on her. She has had nightmares about this defendant.”

Gurung, who has lost his job at Heathrow Airport as a result of his first conviction, told the probation service he was going through a difficult time last year.

He felt the schoolgirl, who he first spotted by chance, represented the only pleasant thing in his life.

Gurung must also complete a probation service-ordered rehabilitation activity requirement of up to forty days and a restraining order was made prohibiting him going to the girl’s school or within 500 metres of her family’s home.

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