Serial stalker jailed for life

2004-07-09 17:17

London - A British serial stalker was jailed for life Friday for carrying out a reign of terror against around 200 victims, one of who was lucky to escape alive after he firebombed her family home.

Richard Jan, described in court as "Britain's worst stalker", was jailed at London's Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court for offences including making 4 500 crank phone calls, a figure police believe was only a fraction of the true number.

"There can be no doubt you are intelligent. However ... you used this to be devious, manipulative and a bully," Judge Henry Blacksell told him as he handed down the sentence.

"Some of your sentiments are unconscionable. You cunningly set out to unnerve and ruin people who you thought had crossed you."

The trial heard how Jan, a 37-year-old scientist, waged a seven-year campaign against health officials, lawyers and others he believed were part of "a grand coalition" trying to detain him for being mentally ill.

One of his victims was a local politician, who narrowly escaped death along with her family after Jan torched her home.

Other victims received crank phone calls, had their car tyres slashed and had pizzas and taxis sent to their homes.

When police first realised the scale of Jan's crimes, many victims had already fled homes and jobs or had even changed their names to escape him.

Despite Jan's obsession about his mental health, psychiatrists could find no evidence of illness beyond a "personality disorder", the judge said.

- AFP