A self-styled “pick-up artist” who left his victims “mentally scarred” has been jailed for two years and will spend 10 years on the sex offenders register.
Adnan Ahmed, 38, secretly filmed himself approaching women and girls before uploading the videos online, but he was caught when a fellow college student raised concerns about his behaviour.
Last month he was found guilty following an eight-day trial of threatening and abusive behaviour that caused his five victims fear and alarm.
Yesterday, at Glasgow Sheriff Court, Sheriff Lindsay Wood ruled there had been a “significant sexual aspect” to the crimes carried out by the self-termed “pick-up artist”.
READ MORE: YouTube pulls 'pick-up' videos after BBC investigation
He said: “Two schoolgirls were shamefully targeted by you in a quiet lane and the three other women were considerably younger than you. “Why on earth would you consider it appropriate to touch a complete stranger on the cheek and try to kiss them?”
The sheriff added: “You gave evidence and said that the victims were lying or mistaken, but the jury thought otherwise.
“It was very obvious when they gave evidence how they were affected.
“You have acquired notoriety and an unenviable reputation, the public will be wise to such inappropriate behaviour by you and others like you.”
The court heard that social work reports deemed Ahmed to still be a risk, saying that he had “entrenched views” about women. Calling himself Addy A-Game, Ahmed described himself as a dating and lifestyle coach, but his victims told a jury at Glasgow Sheriff Court of his true behaviour.
They were praised for their testimony by the sheriff who said: “The mental scarring won’t leave in a hurry, but they will be fortified that by giving evidence of what really happened you will be held to account.”
A 21-year-old had broken down in court as she described Ahmed following her through Glasgow city centre.
- READ MORE: Disclosure: The Seduction Game
Two girls, aged 16 and 17, were approached by him in a secluded lane in Uddingston during a second incident.
Another woman told the court she had felt “uncomfortable” and “intimidated” by Ahmed, who is from Maryhill, Glasgow, when he approached her in Buchanan Street last year and told her she looked like Kim Kardashian. He later tried to approach the woman through social media site Instagram. Outside court Rita Bruce, who first brought Ahmed’s behaviour to light, said she was relieved it was acknowledged Ahmed was still a risk to women. She had become alarmed at his YouTube videos when they met while studying for a BA degree in learning difficulties.
Ahmed later lost his job at Turning Point Scotland when his crimes came to light. Ms Bruce, 50, from Maryhill, said: “I’m actually really pleased that even the judge recognised that Adnan Ahmed was and would potentially be a further danger to women. I think it’s really important that the judge commended the women, his victims, who stood up in court. It must have been horrendous for them.
“All people in authority, whether it is colleges, universities, police whatever, must take women seriously when they come forward, when they are brave enough to come forward.”
Ahmed was supported in court by family, including his fiancée who sobbed as the sentence was handed down. The woman had to be restrained by a police officer as she tried to enter the dock and made attempts to reach Ahmed. Sheriff Wood acknowledged the nature of Ahmed’s crime saying the courts will take “appropriate steps” to tackle new crimes.
He said: “The courts will always try to keep abreast of developing criminal trends which cause public disquiet, concern and even outrage and will take appropriate steps to tackle these.”
The court heard Ahmed had previous convictions, including for drink-driving and a firearms charge, and had previously been jailed seven times – the longest for two years and three months. He has been in custody since January 14 for the current case and his two-year sentence was backdated.
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