TRAUMATISED victims of stalking across the county need more support after their ordeal, a charity has said.

Suzy Lamplugh Trust's policy and development manager Kristiana Wrixon said victims need more emotional support and sentences should be more "reflective" of the crimes committed.

It comes after Azmol Ali of Ashhurst Way, Oxford, was handed a 12-month community order and a two-year restraining order following his conviction for stalking his ex-girlfriend and assaulting her between November 27 and December 3 last year.

Ms Wrixon added: "It's very rare for someone to be given a custodial sentence. Stalking needs to be considered and viewed as a serious crime.

"Just because a stalker has been sentenced, it does not mean that it is the end of the victims. They will need support to get them through the psychological trauma that has occurred.

"If someone is obsessed, fixated, they will not necessarily be stopped by a piece of paper of restraining order or sentence."

Prosecutor Ann Sawyer-Brandish said 21-year-old electrical engineer Ali was near the Kassam Stadium when he approached the woman who was there with a male friend.

She said he kicked her car when she ignored him and pulled out the keys but the other male intervened and retrieved them.

Ms Sawyer-Brandish said he then filmed the pair, before driving to her Cornwallis Road home where he showed the video to her mother to get her "into trouble".

She said the woman returned home and saw Ali, also known as Muhammad Ali, hiding behind a pillar on her driveway before he demanded an apology.

The prosecutor said she refused and he followed her to her front door where he punched her five or six times to her arm and body.

Ms Sawyer-Brandish said the woman was "scared" when she spotted Ali standing behind the pillar and noticed a person’s shadow on her driveway on two other occasions.

She added the woman's father was "very upset" after receiving video footage from Ali of his daughter and her male friend.

Ali, who represented himself as he could not afford a solicitor and was refused legal aid, continued to deny he stalked the woman, sent the video or kicked her car.

He said the woman's male friend asked him to meet the pair at the stadium and he began filming when the male became "aggressive".

Sentencing at Oxford Magistrates’ Court last Thursday, Deputy District Judge Tim Pattinson said: "There should have been a trusting loving relationship and it ended up in violence and stalking.

"There was a real intention to cause hurt and cause further destruction. Quite frankly, I think you have quite a lot to learn about mature relationships and attitudes towards relationships."

Ali must carry out 60 hours unpaid work, pay a £60 victim surcharge and £775 costs, and was made subject to a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust was awarded £13,000 by Thames Valley's police and crime commissioner Anthony Stansfeld in 2014 to carry out specialist training to organisations, including those based in Oxford, about stalking.