Man responsible for harassment campaign jailed for 12 years

02/07/2012

A man who carried out what was described as a “campaign of harassment” against his former Brighton-based girlfriend and her family has been jailed for 12 years at Lewes Crown Court.

Al-Amin Dhalla began a relationship with Alison Hewitt in early 2010, which she ended at the end of that year. Following that, he then began to act in increasingly threatening ways, which included setting fire to Alisons mothers home and trying to set to set fire to a nearby police station. When he was arrested at the hospital where Alison worked, a loaded crossbow and large knife were amongst the items found in his car.

At his trial earlier in the year, he was found guilty of a total of nine charges. These were:

•  two charges of harassment without violence,
•  one charge of arson being reckless as to whether life is endangered,
•  one charge of attempted arson,
•  perverting the course of justice
•  damaging property,
•  having an offensive weapon and
•  two counts of theft.

He was sentenced to 12 years in prison and was told that he would serve a minimum of six years.

Mark Bishop, Acting Senior District Crown Prosecutor with CPS South East, said: "Harassment is a very serious crime and, as in this case, it can have a profound affect on the victim. Dhalla carried out a campaign against both Alison and her family, which escalated to a terrifying level and something which ultimately endangered peoples lives. The fire at Alisons mothers house could have been so much more serious, with people asleep in the property next door, when it was started. I have no doubt that had Dhalla not been arrested and charged, he may have gone on to threaten Alison and her family further."