Sex toy and baby clothes 'gifts' left on woman's doorstep from unstable Leeds stalker

Gurraj Matharu, who has since been diagnosed with schizophrenia, subjected the frightened woman to his erratic behaviour after they had a brief relationship.

The pair had been friends for around 10 years but she said he began to act irrationally, especially after drinking. This included putting small amount of cash into her bank account, including deposits of 85p and 25p.

He would turn up at her home unannounced, send her messages of abuse and accused her of hiding his baby from him, despite never falling pregnant. He then left the vibrator outside her door in the middle of the night, along with baby clothes.

Held on remand at HMP Leeds, Matharu, aged 28, admitted stalking, but faced a raft of unrelated charges dating back nearly four years.

Prosecutor Richard Canning told Leeds Crown Court that police had been called to Armley in September 2019 to reports that three men were threatening a man with the large knife, and later found Matharu holding a bag that contained the weapon.

After his arrest, they found he was carrying a “burner” phone, used by dealers solely for selling drugs. It contained clear messages offering to sell cocaine and cannabis “24-hours a day, seven days a week”.

Matharu also led police on a high-speed chase in Bradford in July 2021, reaching speeds of 100mph in 30mph zones in a BMW. He eventually lost control on the M606 and crashed, climbing over to the passenger side and claiming the driver had fled. He was found to be more than twice the legal drink-drive limit. He was banned from driving at the time after four previous convictions for dangerous driving.

A month later, while on bail, he attacked two women after he went to their house in Harehills for a drink.

Matharu, of Green Hill Road, Armley, admitted possession of a bladed article, two counts of offering to supply drugs, dangerous driving, being over the drink-drive limit, driving while banned and two counts of ABH. Has seven previous convictions for 20 offences.

Mitigating, Imran Khan said that Matharu had been a heavy cannabis user and his schizophrenia diagnosis had helped provide an understanding to his offending.

Speaking of the stalking charge, he said: “His belief was that he had a child, which was not correct. It was at a time he was very much unwell.”

Having spent over a year on remand, Mr Khan said he was now on medication and was progressing in prison, having gained a number of qualifications.

The judge, Recorder Simon Kealey KC, jailed him for six years, gave him a five-year driving ban and restraining orders to keep him away from his female victims.

He said: “It’s clear your diagnosis must have played a part. You are now taking steps to address your anger management and seeking to take your medication. Only an immediate custodial sentence can be justified.”