A predatory stalker, Shuaib Muhammad, 33, subjected a complete stranger to a terrifying campaign reminiscent of a Hollywood film. His actions began shortly after his release from prison, where he had been serving a sentence for stalking another woman.

The victim first recognized something was wrong when she received a mysterious handwritten note requesting a call about a parcel, which she ignored. A few weeks later, she discovered that two of the four latches on her kitchen window were missing and replaced them.

One evening at around 9pm, while letting her dog out, she encountered Muhammad lurking in her garden. Following this, she found two more latches missing from her kitchen window, prompting her to feel increasingly anxious. Muhammad was seen repeatedly appearing at her home, peering inside and attempting to manipulate the window latch from within.

The scared victim installed a camera at her property, only to discover that the window pane had been painted white to obstruct the camera’s view. The court heard that Muhammad's stalking behavior included monitoring the woman during multiple incidents.

Police circulated Muhammad's image, leading to his identification by his risk management officer and subsequent arrest. At his home, officers discovered a photo of the victim that matched her WhatsApp profile picture, saved on his phone.

In a victim impact statement, the woman expressed that she was left feeling anxious, fearful, and paranoid. She described her home as a prison, stating, "I became a prisoner in my own home. I came to realise I was being watched and targeted." She conveyed how she constantly checked her cupboards, expecting to find someone inside, and felt unsafe in her own bed.

The psychological toll of the stalking was significant. She reported that she never really relaxes and feels safe, living with ongoing fear for herself and other women. "The experience has absolutely changed me for the worse," she lamented, revealing her ongoing struggle with paranoia and anxiety.

Prosecutor Jolyon Perks characterized Muhammad's actions as "predatory stalking behavior," noting that he derived gratification from instilling fear in his victim. The court also revealed that Muhammad had a history of violent behavior, with four previous convictions, including one for battery and a 30-month prison sentence in 2017 for stalking another woman.

Muhammad was released on license in 2019 and almost immediately began targeting the victim in this case. He pleaded guilty to stalking involving fear of violence and was sentenced to five years in prison, with an extended license period of three years and an indefinite restraining order.

Pre-sentence reports indicated he poses a high risk of causing serious harm to the public. Recorder Brian Whitehead remarked that the facts of the case were so extreme they read "like a Hollywood film." He added that he had never seen a case, short of outright violence, that caused such distress.

Defending attorney Brian Hegarty acknowledged the devastating impact of Muhammad's behavior, stating that he recognized the need for help.