AN 'obsessed' and 'violent' man has been spared jail after a campaign of control, violence and stalking against a woman, including biting her during one Worcester attack.

Badar Ul-Haq met the victim when he was only 17 years old and 'quickly became infatuated with her' said the judge who sentenced him at Worcester Crown Court on Friday.

The 19-year-old, originally from Worcester where the offences took place, has been staying with his aunt in Osmaston, Derby.

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He admitted two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, one of stalking and another of controlling and coercive behaviour in relation to the complainant during a series of incidents in 2019.

His actions included biting the victim's arm, striking her and damaging property as well as threats of suicide and self-harm, the court heard.

Lynette McClement, defending, described her client's actions as 'excessive and obsessive' but argued that he had been 'a vulnerable boy' at the time of the offending.

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"I would not say his actions caused her significant distress," said Miss McClement.

The barrister went on to argue that his actions had been 'childish' and that 'he simply did not know how to conduct himself' and agreed the behaviour was 'not acceptable' as Ul-Haq himself had accepted.

She also made the court of how long the defendant had spent on a qualifying electronically monitored curfew - up to 399 days - which mean half that (around 200 days) would have to be deducted from any prison sentence the judge imposed.

Judge Nicolas Cartwright accepted that Ul-Haq was inexperienced but added: "But you, in the way you behaved, plainly had no notion of how to behave normally."

He added: "You were jealous. You were controlling and you were manipulative and you were also violent.

"Your behaviour that amounts to criminal behaviour was repeated time and time again over a period of many, many months."

Judge Cartwright added: "Suffice to say, the violence included striking her and also biting her on the arm."

Ul-Haq had also punched walls and smashed a cooker in the kitchen when a child was present.

The judge told Ul-Haq he had also 'threatened to kill or harm yourself as a way of manipulating her if you weren't getting what you wanted'.

However, the judge also balanced this against the 'powerful mitigation' advanced by miss McClement on her client's behalf including his early guilty pleas which prevented the need for a trial.

Judge Cartwright also bore in mind the lockdown conditions in prison due to the pandemic which he said 'make sentences in custody all the more difficult to serve'.

This is a factor judges across the country have been asked by the Lord Chief Justice to consider when sentencing.

"You have been on curfew for a very long time," said the judge.

Judge Cartwright imposed a two year community order to include 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days. Supervised by the probation service, the rehabilitation will include the 'skills for relationship toolkit'.

Ul-Haq must also complete 240 hours of unpaid work within the first 12 months of the order.

A three-year restraining order was also put in place which prevents Ul-Haq having any contact, either directly or indirectly, with the complainant.

Costs of £800 must also be paid, a debt he was permitted to discharge at a rate of £60 per month.

A fines collection order was also made, giving the courts extra powers to recover the cash if deemed necessary. A victim surcharge, calculated administratively, must be paid within three months of the sentence date.