'Warped' Leeds man phoned fire service and ordered takeaway to woman's home from jail

Aiden Stevens would order takeaways to be delivered to the woman’s home, and even called the fire service who smashed their way into her property.

He even rang 999 and said there was a gun at her home, prompting a police response.

Leeds Crown Court heard that he called her up to 60 times a day while he was in jail.

While free, he attacked the woman and strangled her and put a towel over her face, suffocating her. He was later recalled to prison for a previous offence, and then began making the hoax calls.

She returned home one day to find the fire service at her home, having forced their way in through a ground-floor window, prosecutor Frances Pencheon told the court.

When the 25-year-old was eventually released last year he continued to bombard her with calls and made threats to kill her. He also threatened to take his own life.

Stevens, of Wellington Grove, Bramley, appeared in court over a video link from HMP Leeds. He has nine previous convictions for 19 offences, including burglary, theft, criminal damage and sending an offensive message.

He admitted stalking with fear of violence and strangulation or suffocation. He also admitted a charge coercive and controlling behaviour.

Mitigating, Rukhshanda Hussain said: “He accepts full responsibility and is remorseful for his actions.”

She said he had a “difficult upbringing” but said he was “doing all he can to turn things around”.

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The judge, Recorder Ian Mullarkey, referred to a probation report into Stevens that suggested he was “highly entitled and intolerant” and had a “warped attitude”.

Recorder Mullarkey described his actions as an “appalling campaign”.

He jailed him for 48 months and gave him a five-year restraining order to keep him away from the woman.