A 41-YEAR-old father-of-six, who stalked his ex-wife and threatened to burn down her cousin’s house, has been jailed.

Mohammed Wilayat, appeared before Bradford Crown Court today having pleaded guilty to two charges dating back to September last year.

He was sentenced to 21 months in jail. An indefinite restraining order preventing him from contacting his victims was also imposed.

The court heard how Wilayat had split up with his wife of 14 years and had left an old van behind at the family home in Bradford.

His former partner had arranged for the vehicle to be scrapped after he failed to return to collect it. His campaign of stalking began a week later when he found out what had happened to the van, prosecutor Tamara Pawson said.

“Every day thereafter, from September 15 to 24, he attended at the house, or close to it, shouting abuse to [his ex-wife] and threatened her.”

He shouted: “‘I’m going to get you, watch it’,” said Miss Pawson, adding that his conduct amount to stalking, and that his ex-wife was left scared due to his “erratic behaviour”.

The day after he learned of the van’s fate, he drove by his former partner’s cousin’s house, also in Bradford, where she was hosting a child’s party.

“The defendant drove past shouting that he was going to burn her house down and smash her windows,” said Miss Pawson.

The court also heard that when arrested he denied the allegations of stalking and threatening to destroy property.

Andrew Stranax, for Wilayat, of Harold Road, Hyde Park, Leeds, said he was now facing up to what he had done and the last six months on remand had given him time to reflect on his actions.

He added that Wilayat had been on medication.

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Recorder Andrew Haslam said he took into account the stress and depression Wilayat was facing at the time, due to the breakdown of his marriage, as well as the loss of his job and home.

In jailing Wilayat, he added: “Your ex-wife was left frightened by your actions, scared of what you might do to her in the future.

“All she wanted was to be left alone to get on with her life.”

He added: “She was vulnerable to you because as her former husband you held some power over her, and you by your conduct towards her, abused that power.”