Dagenham Man Jailed for Stalking and Arson
Anhar Hussain, 23, from Review Road, Dagenham, was locked up for three years and nine months at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 3 February. The young man pleaded guilty to arson, harassment, fear of violence, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, and driving without insurance.
High-Tech Detective Work Cracks the Case
East Area detectives broke new ground using advanced software to map Hussain’s phone signals, travel, and communications. This high-tech method revealed his sinister stalking patterns between April and June 2022, helping police piece together his coercive behaviour quickly and conclusively.
From Romance to Abuse: The Victim’s Nightmare
The victim, a woman in her twenties, started dating Hussain in 2020. Their relationship soured by March 2021. After a heated argument, Hussain shockingly posted nude photos of her online and sent them to her family, sparking serious outrage.
He also created a fake social media account in her name to communicate with her family, deceiving everyone for months. When the victim was forced to leave her family home, Hussain moved her to Romford, where his controlling abuse escalated.
- Screaming and violent outbursts
- Throwing objects, including laptops
- Physical abuse like pushing and shoving
- Locked her inside their flat and tracked her via video doorbell
One terrifying incident saw Hussain set fire to her clothes outside the flat. When she tried to retrieve them, he forced her into his car before she managed to escape.
Relentless Harassment and Dangerous Driving
Hussain bombarded the victim with over 700 calls a day, sometimes multiple times per minute. He threatened her family, stalked her relentlessly, and tried to manipulate her with fake sobbing photos and staged house cleaning. When she refused to return, the harassment worsened.
In a dangerous stunt, Hussain rammed her car repeatedly in a public car park while disqualified from driving. Witnesses watched as he deliberately totalled her vehicle just to cause harm.
Operation Atlas: Turning Tech Into Justice
The case was investigated under Operation Atlas by the East Area Public Protection Predatory Offender Unit. They documented 157 occasions of stalking and harassment using their cutting-edge software. This tech created easy-to-understand evidence for the Crown Prosecution Service and will help future juries grasp the full extent of his abusive campaign.
Thanks to this overwhelming evidence, Hussain was charged and now faces years behind bars for his relentless terror campaign.
