Stalker called victim 10,000 times in two months

News imageStaffordshire Police A custody image of Zohaib Mehmood. He has black hair and a black beard and is looking at the camera. Staffordshire Police
Zohaib Mehmood was sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Tuesday

A stalker who called a woman around 10,000 times in just under two months and left her hundreds of voicemails has been jailed.

Zohaib Mehmood bombarded his victim with calls, voicemails and attempts to contact her through social media between September and October last year, Staffordshire Police said.

The 22-year-old travelled 180 miles from his home in Dagenham to her university accommodation in Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, and loitered outside.

He has been jailed for two years after previously pleading guilty to stalking involving serious alarm or distress.

'Commend the bravery'

An investigation was launched by Staffordshire Police after the victim reported what had happened to her.

Mehmood then threatened to share imitate photos of the victim with her family and repeatedly asked her to withdraw her police report, the force said.

He also pleaded guilty to charges of threatening to share photographs or film of a person in an intimate state and committing an act or series of acts with intent to pervert the course of justice.

Mehmood, of Maxey Road, received a prison sentence, an indefinite restraining order and was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £228.

Det Con Clare Horner said: "I would like to commend the bravery of the victim in coming forward and reporting what had happened to her, despite Mehmood's threats.

"We will continue to work hard to protect victims across Staffordshire."

Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.