AN INDIAN national has been jailed for a total of 29 months for stalking and harassing a woman for 18 months.
Rohit Sharma, 28, was jailed at Isleworth Crown Court on Wednesday (15) after pleading guilty to stalking, harassment and failing to appear at court.
Sharma began stalking his victim, who was aged in her 20s, following a brief encounter in a shop in Wembley in November 2017. He returned to the shop the same day and asked her to marry him.
The woman, in her 20s, refused, and quit her job four days later. But Sharma traced her to her new workplace and continued to bombard her with text messages and calls.
He is believed to have contacted her up to 40 times a day from 15 different numbers.
In February last year, the victim reported Sharma to police and he was issued with an harassment warning. Sharma was formally charged with harassment in July, but he continued to pursue the victim.
He continued his campaign even after the victim quit her job and left the area.
Sharma systematically began contacting people who knew the victim, trying to find out where she had gone.
Police officers declared Sharma wanted after he failed to attend a court hearing on 5 November 2018 and he was arrested in April 2019.
Sentencing him on Thursday, a judge ordered that Sharma be considered for deportation on the completion of his prison sentence.
“This whole experience has completely shattered my nerves, I have gone from being a confident young woman to constantly feeling scared and on edge,” the victim said in a statement. “I have no desire to socialise or meet new people, which has really taken its toll and ruined the university experience I had always envisioned.
“I cannot understand why this male became so obsessed with me. It is so unfair and completely undeserved. I just want him to realise what he has done and to know that he cannot do this to me or anyone else. I now want to move on knowing that he is locked away and cannot harm or hurt anyone else like he has done to me.”
Detective Constable Nicola Kerry, who led the investigation, said the victim has been left "devastated" by Sharma's actions.
“Sharma was incessant in his pursuit of his victim. He would phone her up to 40 times a day and use around 15 different numbers to contact her, making it near impossible to block his calls, and would also get friends and relatives to contact her on his behalf," said Kerry.
“The victim has been left devastated by Sharma’s actions and I can only hope that his imprisonment offers some form of respite for her. She has shown immense bravery in reporting him to police and supporting this court case.”
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)