A MAN who stalked a fellow student at the University of York for months and tried to force his way into her home has been jailed.
Graduate student Rajarshi Mallick, 25, did his best to sit next to the woman in lectures, followed her around the campus, deluged her with unwanted messages and an unwanted gift and defied a police warning to keep away from her, said Samantha Laws, prosecuting.
“He left me feeling utterly violated,” the woman student said in a personal statement.
She said his “relentless” pursuit of her, left her unable to focus on her work and “haunted” by his presence.
In the end her studies were ruined and she had to leave York, she said.
Ms Laws said Mallick petrified the woman student by trying to get into her accommodation on May 8. He failed.
A week later, he made false claims to the police she had gone missing and had been raped by another man.
In reality he was at her home trying to get inside and refusing to leave when asked. Police warned him to keep away from her.
Two days later, Mallick was back at her home banging on her door and saying: “I’m here to help you, are you inside with another man?”
Deputy district judge Richard Jepson told Mallick at York Magistrates' Court: “It was appalling conduct, unwanted conduct and there was a significant amount of escalation.”
Mallick, 25, who gave his address as University of York accommodation but whom The Press understands is no longer a student at the university, pleaded guilty to stalking involving serious alarm or distress from October 1, 2022, to May 18, 2023.
He was jailed for 26 weeks and made subject to a five-year restraining order banning him from contacting the woman in any way. He must also pay £85 prosecution costs and a £154 statutory charge.
The woman was not living on campus.
Mallick told the court he had come to the UK in September 2022 and was studying for a master of sciences degree.
“I didn’t rape her, or physically abuse her or sexually harm her,” he said.
A University of York spokesman said: “This was a very distressing case and our thoughts remain with the victim whom we have been offering support to.
“We take the safety of our students very seriously, so when we are made aware of an incident, we carry out risk assessments and can, in addition to any bail conditions, put in place a number of measures, including restricting an individual from certain areas of the campus.
“Students can make use of a number of support measures, including our Safezone app and Campus Safety team 24/7, and anyone affected by this case or concerned about any inappropriate or unacceptable behaviour is urged to get in touch via our online Report and Support platform.”
Ms Laws said Mallick told the woman he had no food over Christmas and she allowed him to stay in her accommodation for the holiday.
During that stay, he took photos of her without her permission, one of which he later used as a screensaver.
In January, he told her he fancied her and wanted her to be his girlfriend, but she declined.
From then on, he stalked her, sending her messages via WhatsApp and Instagram and physical notes.
He started to follow her around the campus and tried to sit next to her at lectures.
She got her friends to sit with her and when that failed to deter Mallick, stopped attending lectures.
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