By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
AN ENDEAVOUR Hills man who traumatised his ex-partner by stalking her for 12 months and threatening to cyber-publish sex tapes of her has been sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid work.
Sabbir Alam’s behaviour was described by Dandenong magistrate Jack Vandersteen during a sentencing hearing last Monday as “persistent, hurtful and highly vindictive”.
The 24-year-old accused did not escape conviction due to the length of his stalking, the nature of his conduct and the need to deter others from “this destructive behaviour”, Mr Vandersteen told him.
He dismissed Alam’s argument that he never intended to publish any sex tapes.
He said they didn’t exist.
But, Mr Vandersteen said: “It wasn’t your intention to make (the victim) aware of that. You wanted to put her under pressure.”
Mr Vandersteen said Alam was an intelligent, highly educated civil engineer who preyed on his victim’s vulnerability which stemmed from her mood disorder and mental health problems at the time.
The pressure caused the victim, who had moved to Singapore after their break-up, to take her phone off the hook.
She had agreed to meet Alam at Changi Airport to placate him, Mr Vandersteen said.
After the meeting, he texted her a photo of her front door – causing her to change her contact details.
Mr Vandersteen said Alam’s behaviour had severely affected his victim’s emotional wellbeing, leading her to increase her high dosages of anti-depressants and sleeping pills.
According to her victim impact statement, she “lives in constant fear about what you’ll do next”, Mr Vandersteen told Alam.
“She says the behaviour was abusive and threatening, which I accept, and left her traumatised.
“She has used the word ‘crippling’.”
Defence lawyer Esan Pilai said Alam – who battled depression and suicidal thoughts – would benefit from a rehabilitative sentence, including further counselling.
Mr Vandersteen, though, noted that Alam exploited his self-harm by photographing his injuries and sending pictures to the complainant to further torment her.
As part of an 18-month community-based order, Alam was ordered to undergo assessment for enrolment in a sexual offenders’ program as well as mental health assessment, treatment, and corrections supervision.
