MAN GETS 6-YEAR JAIL IN UK FOR HARASSING WOMAN FOR 5 YEARS
In 2013, Sirtaj Bhangal initiated a campaign of harassment against an unnamed woman, reaching out to her through social media despite having no prior face-to-face contact.The messages he sent were offensive and degrading, leading the victim to block him on her accounts, according to the Metropolitan Police.
A man of Indian descent, aged 35, has been given a six-year jail sentence after a prolonged harassment and intimidation campaign targeting a woman in London.
Sirtaj Bhangal pleaded guilty to one count of possessing an imitation firearm intended to cause fear of violence, two counts of witness intimidation, and breaching a restraining order.
He was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday.
Detective Constable Nicola Kerry, who headed the investigation for the Met Police West Area Command Unit, stated that Bhangal's relentless and unprovoked campaign lasted around five years, even continuing while he was in custody.
She noted the motives behind his actions remain unclear, making the harassment particularly frightening.
Kerry praised the woman and her family for their support throughout the case and expressed hope that his imprisonment might bring them some reassurance.
The victim first encountered Bhangal in 2013 through social media, where his messages were demeaning enough that she had to block him.
Over the following three years, he sporadically made contact, but his harassment intensified in 2016 when he sent her a lengthy nine-page letter, signaling distress if ignored.
The harassment escalated in the subsequent year through phone calls and texts, culminating in Bhangal delivering another letter directly to her home in May 2017.
This led to her reporting him to police, resulting in his arrest and conviction for harassment and stalking.
While awaiting trial in prison, Bhangal illegally used a mobile phone to call the victim and threaten her with violence.
He faced additional charges of witness intimidation, with a trial scheduled for July.
On July 3, however, the victim discovered an 80-page, profoundly disturbing letter from Bhangal at her residence.
The letter contained threats of severe violence, including having corrosive substances thrown at her and her family.
It also featured images of injured individuals with corrosive injuries and photos of the victim from social media.
Authorities searched Bhangal’s home and recovered items such as imitation firearms, fake grenades, Samurai swords, and packaging for acidic substances.
Consequently, he was further charged with firearm offences and a second count of witness intimidation.
