Marie Hobinger Liverpool FC
Marie Hobinger was distressed and said her performance on the pitch was affected by the stalking.
A man has been handed a two-year restraining order and an 18-month community order for stalking a Liverpool FC Women player.
Midfielder Marie Hobinger was distressed and said her performance on the pitch was affected after Mangal Dalal, 42, sent her sex messages on Instagram, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard.
She had to change her daily actions, held back from mixing with fans on match days and felt anxious in her own home, the court heard.
Dalal, of Marylebone, west London, was handed an 18-month community order, a two-year restraining order and told to pay £650 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.
He had pleaded guilty to stalking at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court in December.
District Judge Hina Rai, sentencing on Tuesday, told him: “The nature and tone of the highly sexualised content was distressing and caused her to be fearful of her surroundings and affected her daily life.”
Dalal sent Ms Hobinger, 24, pictures of underwear and said he wanted to rip her shorts off, prosecutor David Burns told the court.
He also sent explicit messages and told Ms Hobinger he wanted to have babies with her.
The stress of the situation led to a flare-up of a skin condition she had suffered, the court heard.
In a victim impact statement, she said: “This incident has meant I now struggle to sleep. I live on my own, and being on my own at home I become anxious and scared – any noise I fear the male may have found out where I lived.
“When it is dark I found myself looking over my shoulder. I know I was safe, but felt anxiety and rushed inside.
“It is not a nice feeling especially when your home is meant to be a safe place.”
She also said the events had “affected my performance on the pitch”.
When fans take pictures Ms Hobinger said “I often shy away as I feel insecure” and she does not want to be with them.
She added: “I love match days and this is a time when I should feel focused and strong.
“Although I am in the public eye I do not feel it is acceptable to receive sexually explicit messages.
“I do not feel that it is acceptable women’s football is sexualised and disrespected.
“No woman, no matter what her job, should have to put up with this kind of behaviour.”
Ms Hobinger described her club as “amazing” in supporting her in the face of the father-of-two’s unwanted attentions.
Dalal included his mobile number and postcode in the sexually explicit messages which were posted between January 27 and February 16 last year, the court heard.
He also asked her to visit.
Worries over the Austrian player’s safety rose so much the club’s safety officer travelled with her to matches.
Dalal travelled to an away game in Manchester last February, and was spotted by the pitch at the end of the game.
He later admitted this in a police interview but said he had been mentally unwell.
Daniel Lister, defending, said Dalal was of previous good character and worked in investments but was suffering a psychotic episode from a diagnosed condition at the time he was contacting Ms Hobinger.
He was “in the midst of a health crisis” and was seen barefoot, preaching sermons in the street, prompting his ex-wife to try to call for medical help.