PHONE THREAT STALKER JAILED FOR 13 YEARS
A man accused of repeatedly harassing nearly 60 women with threatening phone calls has been sentenced at Lewes Crown Court.Ameer Tahir, aged 41 and residing on Brighton’s Kings Road, pleaded guilty to various charges during a hearing in January and later admitted additional offenses after new victims came forward.
Authorities stated that Tahir targeted women around the clock between 2021 and 2022, sending them obscene and violent threats, including threats of rape.
Tahir received a prison term of 13 years, comprised of nine years behind bars and four years on licence.
The court was told that one woman was awakened by a call in the early hours while lying next to her husband.
When she put her husband on speakerphone to let him hear the threats, the messages included explicit sexual violence.
Tahir persisted in calling even while police were present, the court was informed.
Another woman revealed that Tahir knew her name and described her physical appearance.
She reported feeling anxious and panicked whenever she received unknown calls.
A further statement from a victim said, "I live alone.
Now I always look over my shoulder.
"He repeated my name over and over in a low, creepy, whispering voice." During sentencing, Judge Van der Zwart remarked that Tahir had launched a "campaign of terror against women," which caused severe and enduring psychological harm.
He emphasized that Tahir’s actions inflicted substantial mental anguish on the victims.
For legal reasons, none of the victims’ identities were disclosed.
Police revealed that Tahir utilized information obtained through mutual contacts and his employment in the hospitality sector, which enabled him to access personal details like names and physical descriptions of his targets.
It was further disclosed that he called victims from a withheld number on a mobile device, even while on bail, using an additional phone to continue his harassment.
In January, Tahir pleaded guilty to 12 counts of stalking, two cases of transmitting offensive or indecent messages, racially aggravated stalking, failure to comply with sex offender registration, and possession of a Class B drug.
Subsequent investigations identified an extra 44 victims, whose cases were considered during sentencing.
Following his conviction, investigator Lucia Calandriello commented that Tahir had "terrorized women across the UK," subjecting them to "vile, misogynistic threats of violence, rape, and other abuses." Katy Bourne, the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, condemned Tahir’s actions, stating he "caused psychological torment to his victims" and exploited his professional connections to gather sensitive information, believing he could escape repercussions by hiding his phone number.
