Emily Brown
A 35-year-old man has been convicted of stalking 19-year-old tennis star Emma Raducanu and stealing a shoe from her home in London.
Raducanu, who made headlines for winning the US Open last year, said she has been left afraid to go out alone after being stalked by former Amazon delivery driver Amrit Magar.
Magar was convicted at Bromley magistrates court on Friday, January 28, after he travelled to the London suburb where Raducanu lives with her parents and asked people for directions to her home.
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According to The Guardian, the court heard that Magar, from Edgware, visited Raducanu's home three times, leaving messages including a map which showed the distance he had travelled to her address, alongside a note which read '23 miles walked 4 you.' Another note read: 'you deserve love.'
His last visit to the property took place in early December, when he is said to have decorated a tree in the Raducanus' front garden with Christmas lights and stolen one of Raducanu's father's shoes, believing it to be hers.
Magar was captured at the home on door camera footage, and the athlete's father, Ian, caught the 35-year-old after recognising him from previous visits and following him in the car. He was arrested and found with the shoe in his bag, at which point he told police he had wanted a souvenir.
In a statement to the court, cited by the Daily Mail, Raducanu said she felt 'creeped out' following the ordeal, adding: 'I feel very apprehensive if I go out, especially if I am on my own. Because of this I feel like my freedom has been taken away from me. I am constantly looking over my shoulder. I feel on edge and worried this could happen again. I don’t feel safe in my own home, which is where I should feel safest.'
She also told police she wants to move to a new home with better security out of fear Magar might come back.
Magar reportedly said he was ashamed to learn he had upset Raducanu, prompting district judge Sushil Kumar to question 'his inability to explain how he did not think this was harassment.'
Magar was released on bail under the condition that he does not contact Raducanu or her parents, or visit their street. He is set to be sentenced next month.
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