‘Stalker’ is jailed for arson attack

Friday, 04 May 2012

Sentenced: Razwan Malik has been jailed for four years.

A MAN highlighted by a judge as a ‘stalker’ has been jailed for four years for setting fire to a car belonging to a woman who spurned his attentions.
Razwan Malik, from Walthamstow, met a 30-year-old woman by chance at a petrol station in Leyton in May last year. They never met in person again, but had several conversations and text exchanges before the woman asked for the correspondence to end.
At about 2.30am on July 24, the woman’s car, which was parked outside her home, was set alight using an accelerant. No suspect was identified at the time of the offence,
Then, in August, the victim made a report of harassment to police and Malik was identified, arrested, charged and subsequently sent to prison for 56 days by Waltham Forest Magistrates’ Court in December.
The ongoing police investigation by Waltham Forest CID into the arson resulted in Malik being placed at the scene of the crime and he was charged with the offence in October last year.
Malik, of Lorne Road, was found guilty of arson in March after a five-day trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
The 33-year-old was sentenced last Friday and in doing so the judge highlighted him as a stalker.
Malik has previous convictions for harassment and harassment with fear of violence against another female over a period of some time for which he had been imprisoned.
Investigating officer, DC Becky Woodsford, said “These incidents have caused considerable distress to the victim, who has had her life turned upside down by the actions of a man who she had met once for a few short minutes.
“We are pleased that he has been passed a lengthy custodial sentence which highlights the severity of his actions and behaviour.
“We hope this conviction can assist the victim in coming to terms with what she has been though.”

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