A stalker who walked 23 miles to the home of British tennis star Emma Raducanu, taking her father’s shoe as a souvenir, has been handed a five-year restraining order.
Amrit Magar, 35, was last month found guilty of stalking the 19-year-old US Open champion between 1 November and 4 December last year following a trial at Bromley Magistrates’ Court.
The court heard the former delivery driver went to the world number 12’s home on three separate dates, loitered outside, left unwanted gifts and cards and stole property from the porch.
On one occasion, he left a bouquet of flowers with a note reading “nothing to say but you deserve love”, while on another he drew a map to show the “23 miles” he had walked from his home.
Magar, originally from Nepal, was arrested after the British number one’s father Ian was alerted by a doorbell camera, finding his trainer had been taken from the porch.
On Wednesday, District Judge Sushil Kumar handed Magar, from Harrow, northwest London, a five-year restraining order which bans him from contacting Raducanu or her parents, coming within a mile of their street and attending any sports ground, stadium or training facility where she is in competition or attending to train.
He was also sentenced to an 18-month community order, including 200 hours of unpaid work and an eight-week curfew between 9pm and 6am monitored by an electronic tag.
The court previously heard how Magar first travelled to the teenager’s neighbourhood in November 2021 and asked her neighbours for her address.
He wrote the note saying “nothing to say, but you deserve love” – to which he added his name, as well as those of his wife and dog.
When arriving at the door with the message and a bouquet of flowers, he was confronted by Ms Raducanu’s parents but said he was a delivery driver dropping off gifts from somebody else.
Magar went back to the family’s home a few days later and posted the map to show the distance he had walked from Edgware, north London.
The note, dated 2 December 2021, says: “23 miles walked 4 you.”
Two days later, he went to the house again and decorated a tree in her garden with fairy lights. He posted the remaining fairy lights and batteries through the letterbox.
Magar then took a shoe from an area outside the house, believing it belonged to the tennis star.
Ms Raducanu’s father, Ian, recognised Magar as he had shown up in doorbell footage from when he stalked the house before.
He followed him to a bus stop and informed police of Magar’s actions.
When Magar was arrested he was found with the trainer in his bag, telling officers he “wanted a souvenir”.
In a statement previously read to the court, Ms Raducanu said she was now worried about going out on her own.
Speaking to officers from Melbourne last month while she prepared for the Australian Open, the 19-year-old said: “Since all this has happened, I have felt creeped out. I feel very apprehensive if I go out, especially if I am on my own.
“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.”
Additional reporting by Press Association
