Stalker sewed airtag into victim’s coat to track her down

A stalker sewed an Apple Airtag into his victims coat to track her movements as she tried to escape him.

Haydar Kamal, 30, was sentenced for stalking his ex-girlfriend over a period of ten months, during which he would turn up on her doorstep or surprise her when she was out with friends.

The woman had been in a relationship with Kamal for a few months but ended it in February 2023.

At that time, she moved away from her London home to get away from another ex-partner, the father of her two sons, and was placed in emergency accommodation in Brighton.

She also made allegations of domestic violence against Kamal to the Met Police, but as of today these have not resulted in any charges.

Once in Brighton, he twice turned up on her doorstep, the first time leaving a large quantity of meat, and the second time some baklava.

He also started turning up to places she was visiting in London and Brighton, as well as sending her frequent messages and phonecalls.

Unnerved, she made the decision to move to different emergency accommodation and on 5 August she moved to Eastbourne.

Prosecuting, Christina Rowberry said: “A matter of days later she received contact from the defendant asking her how Eastbourne was.

“On 29 September, when she was out with friends in Brighton a beeping sound came from her coat.

“She and her friends looked in the coat and they found an Apple Airtag. A small cut had been made in the lining towards the bottom in the coat and the tag had been placed there.

“The tag resolved back to the defendant, who has admitted he put it there.

“Until then, the victim had believed the incidents where he seemed to know her movements were coincidental or he had been told where she was by others.

“When she realised the Airtag was on her, it made sense how he always knew where she was.”

In a victim impact statement read out in court, the woman said her children have had to move school four times in the last couple of years.

She said: “We had to move multiple times because Haydar would turn up on our doorstep.

“Knowing what people are capable of doing now, it’s incredibly hard to let anyone into my life. I can’t message friends on social media because Haydar has hacked it before.

“I’m constantly looking over my shoulder. I never appreciated the feeling of being safe until it was taken away from me.”

Defending, Richard Elliott stressed the allegations of domestic violence had not resulted in any charges, and highlighted the original move away from London was because of the actions of the victim’s ex-partner, not Kamal.

He added: “The use of the Airtag was not sophisticated because unfortunately, it’s technology that’s in the hands of anybody and will be in front of courts with this type of offence many times.”

Sentencing, Judge Mark Van Der Zwart said: “I consider this use of technology an abusive demonstration of your relentless controlling of her.

“Virtually tracking where she was and letting her know you knew where she was without her knowing how you could possibly know that was intended by you and indeed caused her considerable distress and harm.”

He added: “Women in particular need to know that they will have the protection and support of the courts if they are able to speak out, as this woman has.

“Men such as yourself need to know that such behaviour will not be tolerated and will be met by prison sentences.”

He told Kamal he would be passing a two-year prison sentence. However, because Kamal has been in custody since March, Judge Van Der Zwart calculated he would only serve about another five months in prison before being released on licence.

He said: “If I suspend this sentence, I can impose conditions that you carry out unpaid work and, perhaps more importantly, you can be made subject to rehabilitation activity requirement days to address your issues and reduce the risk you pose to women.”

He suspended the sentence for two years and ordered Kamal to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and attend activity days to help challenge his attitudes to romantic relationships.

Finally, he imposed a restraining order forbidding contact with the victim for three years.