Blackmailing stalker absconded from justice
Amir Qayum Khan sentenced in absence for ‘campaign of harassment’
A fugitive who fled the country before his conviction for a ‘relentless’ stalking campaign has been handed a five-year jail sentence in his absence.
Amir Qayum Khan,
50, of Clive Court, Chalvey, was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict at a trial in Reading Crown Court on Friday March 15.
He was tried on one count of stalking involving serious alarm or distress and one count of blackmail.
Khan, who was not present for his trial, is believed to have fled the country for Pakistan in
February while he was on bail.
Khan sent abusive and offensive messages from several social media accounts to a woman in her 30s between September 9 2021 and February 3 2023.
Police said his ‘campaign of harassment’ saw him send repeated harassing messages to the woman, her place of work and her friends – trying to learn her whereabouts for an unknown purpose.
Police added his crimes had a ‘significant’ effect on her dayto-day life.
Khan was arrested on 6 February 2023 and charged on the same day.
Detective Sergeant Tom Harman, of Slough
CID, said: “Khan embarked on a relentless campaign of unwanted messaging and contact with the victim in this case, causing her considerable distress.
“The nature of the messages was such that the victim felt unable to go about her life, and Khan’s actions were completely unacceptable.
“I would like to thank the jury for their diligent consideration of this case, and the lengthy sentence given to Khan reflects the serious nature of his actions.
“I would also like to praise the victim for her patience while we carried out this investigation.”