A Just Eat delivery driver who stalked two women in Fife has been handed a community payback order.
Muhammad Zaid made a bogus food delivery to a woman in Lochgelly so he could speak to her and on another occasion, sat in a car outside her home before following her to her door.
Over a two-month period he bombarded his ex-partner with phone calls, turned up at her home uninvited, and peered through a window at her workplace.
Zaid, 28, formerly of Dunfermline but now living in Napier Drive, Glasgow, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing after earlier pleading guilty to stalking the two women.
Stalked over Christmas season
Prosecutor Azrah Yousaf told the court Zaid and his former partner, who met at a fish and chip shop in Cowdenbeath where they both worked, were together for about 10 months but the relationship was ended by the woman in October last year.
There was no issue until December 24 when he went to her home and sat in his car outside for two hours, the fiscal said.
He texted her on Christmas Day stating he would be coming to her house and was going to “beg her dad for her to take him back” but she made it clear he should not attend.
Zaid made calls and left voice messages until she blocked him.
Shen received a message on Boxing Day from someone at work that Zaid had arrived, looking for her.
About half-an-hour later he drove into her street.
On January 1 he turned up unannounced at her home and she closed the door on him.
The fiscal depute continued: “His behaviour was becoming concerning to the woman.”
He phoned and went to her workplace in January, peering through the windows and she received up to 40 calls from Zaid between January 6 and February 25 and voicemail messages “pleading” with her to take him back.
On February 25 he turned up at her home unannounced and she received an email from him saying he was there and pleading to talk to her
Police were contacted and Zaid was detained and interviewed.
Second victim
The court heard previously a second woman had made Just Eat food orders from Dario’s in Cowdenbeath High Street, where Zaid worked as a delivery driver.
Ms Yousaf said she was at home with her partner on Christmas Eve when Zaid arrived at her front door around 10pm and said he thought she had ordered food.
She told him she had not but he showed her a receipt in her name and address.
The woman insisted she had not made any order and told him to leave.
In the afternoon of January 1, she was on the stairs in a common close when she became aware of Zaid behind her.
The fiscal said: “He followed her upstairs to the front door.
“She asked him if he is OK and he stated he was lonely and wanted to see her again.”
Ms Yousaf said Zaid asked to go into the house with her and she refused and was “very upset” when she told her partner what happened.
He went to the door to confront Zaid, who left in his car.
Police were contacted and the vehicle was stopped a few days later.
CCTV footage showed Zaid had waited in a car outside her home and followed her when she came home.
Sentencing
Defence lawyer Alexander Flett said Zaid, who is now employed in a sales and marketing team, accepts he caused distress to both women but that was not his intention – he was trying to form a relationship with them.
The solicitor said it has been made clear this behaviour is not acceptable and not normal.
Zaid was previously given a structured deferred sentence by Sheriff James Hastie in February in relation to the matter concerning the second woman and was banned from contacting her for one year.
Mr Flett said Zaid has cooperated well with this.
The lawyer said Zaid accepts there are issues from his background and childhood which would benefit from being addressed and he needs assistance on how relationships are appropriately carried out.
Sheriff Susan Duff sentenced him to 240 hours of unpaid work, to be completed in nine months and banned him from contacting his former partner for two years.
He was also placed on offender supervision for one year.
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
