Three court cases for teenage girl’s stalker

Kim Waters
A JAN Juc man who stalked a Torquay teenager is involved in two other separate cases of stalking, Geelong Magistrates Court has heard.
Magistrate Ann McGarvie on Wednesday found 22-year-old Parkash Singh guilty of stalking a 13-year-old Torquay girl.
Ms McGarvie convicted and fined Singh $500 for the Torquay case.
The second case was in court when the Independent went to press. The third was set for a later hearing.
Ms McGarvie said Singh had faced a maximum 10 years jail for the first offence.
He had “continually stared” at the victim over seven months and followed her through Torquay’s Safeway car park, she said.
Ms McGarvie described Singh’s behaviour as “a serious crime with serious consequences”.
“I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty of stalking. I found the evidence of the victim to be honest and reliable…(she) was an extremely mature and credible witness, given her age.”
Ms McGarvie said Singh stalked the victim between February and August last year.
He “continually stared” at her on a 7.45am bus they shared weekly from Torquay to Geelong.
“He would lock eyes on her for about five to 10 seconds and then look away.
“His behaviour made her feel uncomfortable and scared.”
Singh also stared at the victim on two separate occasions in Safeway and followed her in the shop’s car park on August 7.
“She quickened her pace…and heard footsteps behind her,” Ms McGarvie said.
“She said she was scared he was going to do something to her. She felt uncomfortable, unsafe and scared.”
Singh denied stalking the victim, telling the court he might have looked at her but had no intention to stare or look at anyone “with bad intentions”.
His lawyer had requested Ms McGarvie hand down her sentence after Singh’s other stalking cases were heard.
Singh would adjust his plea of not guilty to the first offence depending on the outcome of the other cases, his lawyer said.