A man has received a restraining order for stalking a Liverpool Women’s player.
Marie Hobinger was bombarded with explicit direct messages by Mangal Dalal on Instagram before he attempted to seek her out after a game.
He also sent his mobile number and postcode to the Austria international alongside pictures of underwear and said he wanted to have babies with her.
The father-of-two from Marylebone in west London’s actions forced the footballer to change her daily actions and interacting with fans on matchdays.
Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard that Liverpool’s safety officer had to accompany Hobinger when she travelled to matches following the incident.
Dalal had later travelled to an away game at Manchester City and was spotted by a stadium steward, who alerted the club’s security team to him.
The 42-year-old pleaded guilty to stalking at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court in December ahead of his sentencing on Tuesday afternoon (January 20).
He told police that he had been mentally unwell at the time of his attempted interactions with Hobinger between January 27 and Feburary 16 last year.
But district judge Hina Rai handed down a two-year restraining order, an 18-month community order, a £650 fine in costs and a £114 victim surcharge.
In a victim impact statement, Hobinger revealed that the ordeal led to a flare-up of a skin condition and has carried a lasting effect on her personal safety.
She said: “This incident has meant I now struggle to sleep.
“I live on my own, and being on my own at home I become anxious and scared – any noise I fear [he] may have found out where I lived.
“Although I am in the public eye I do not feel it is acceptable to receive sexually explicit messages.
“I do not feel that it is acceptable that women’s football is sexualised and disrespected.
“No woman, no matter what her job, should have to put up with this kind of behaviour.”