A 28-YEAR-OLD Darwen man began stalking a woman he had seen working behind the student union bar when he was at Manchester University.

Blackburn magistrates heard Craig Adam Brown had never actually met Violeta Tafilaj but ended up going to prison because of his unwanted attention towards her.

The court was told that despite that custodial sentence he began contacting family and friends of the aggrieved and her partner through the internet.

People as far afield as Australia were contacted and Miss Tafilaj said she believed he was trying to provoke a reaction from her and ruin her relationship with her partner.

"I have never been in a relationship with him or spoken to him face to face," said Miss Tafilaj. "A restraining order hasn't stopped him from stalking me. I want him to keep as far away from me as possible. I don't ever want to see him or be in the same room as him, I'm scared."

Brown, of Earnsdale Avenue, pleaded guilty to stalking.

He was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months with a 30 day rehabilitation activity requirement. He was made subject to an indefinite restraining order.

Eddie Harrison, prosecuting, said Brown had contacted Facebook contacts of Miss Tafilaj and her partner Thomas Potter, sometimes using false names. He had called Mr Potter a drug abuser.

"He has clearly monitored her use of the internet and then targeted her boyfriend and people from his contacts," said Mr Harrison. "Even members of her family who do not live in the UK have been contacted. There is no reason for him to be contacting any of these people."

Deborah Morgan, defending, said Brown had been diagnosed as having Aspergers syndrome in 2016.

"This wasn't known to the courts when he was convicted in 2009, 2013 and 2015 of similar offences," said Miss Morgan. "He is an intelligent man but has always struggled with relationships and making friends."

She said her client's problems started when he first left his parent's home and went to university and he became lonely and depressed.

"There have never been any threats of violence, it is just repeated unwanted contact," said Miss Morgan.

Brown dropped out from Nottingham University but returned to Manchester University in 2014 where he saw Miss Tafilaj working behind the bar.

"He found her on facebook and sent her messages," said Miss Morgan. "Initially it was just chat and she was happy with that then but eventually she blocked him."

In 2015 Brown was convicted of harassing Miss Tafilaj and given a suspended prison sentence. He subsequently contacted her again and the sentence was activated.

"At that point the courts were not aware he suffered from Asperges," said Miss Morgan. "It left him feeling depressed and there was no support available for an adult with his condition. He accepts that in June, while under the influence of alcohol, he was looking at her contacts and responded to a comment from somebody in Australia. He should have known that even though he wasn't contacting her, contacting her friends would cause her problems."

Miss Morgan said Brown had already spent six weeks in custody as a result of the offence.