A Tinder stalker who became obsessed with a man after just one date has been jailed for a third time after harassing him.
Karen Ilya Laing, 29, from Auckland, was jailed for 10 months on Valentine’s Day after a court heard how she bombarded the man with 199 messages in just 46 hours.
The court heard that Liang, who has nine such convictions on her record, targeted the man because she believes ‘his life is too perfect’.
Karen Ilya Laing, 29, has been jailed for 10 months for harassing a man she met on Tinder by sending him 199 abusive and rambling messages in just 46 hours
Reviewers who assessed the case said Liang shows no remorse for her actions, minimises the effect she is having on the man, and views herself as the victim, the Otago Daily Times reported.
The court heard how the pair first met on the online dating app back in 2015 and exchanged details online before meeting for a single date.
Afterward the man made it clear that he wanted nothing else to do with Liang, but she began ‘deluging’ him with messages.
In September the following year she turned up to his house, barged her way in the front door and grabbed him by the collar, the court heard.
He escaped by wriggling out of his shirt and managed to lock himself in the bedroom, but when Liang continued to force her way in, he pinned her to the floor until police could arrive.
Liang was jailed for four months over the incident, but was brought back to court in June last year when she was jailed for another eight months.
The court heard Liang has been jailed twice previously for harassing the man. The pair swapped details online in 2015 but he made it clear he wasn’t interested
The victim revealed he had been forced to block six of Liang’s numbers and change one of his own to stop her harassment, but she tracked him down at his workplace.
He said he feared for his own safety and the safety of his loved ones.
But when Liang was released from jail in August, she immediately began messaging the man again.
Between 1.10am on August 19 and 11pm the next day – a 46-hour period – the defendant sent the victim 199 text messages.
Police said most of the messages were ‘nonsensical ramblings’, but taken together show a clear frustration and his lack of interest in her.
Defense lawyers said Liang has been diagnosed with a form of autism and is seeking treatment, and asked the judge not to jail her for fear of interrupting her progress.
But the judge ruled a lengthy jail term was the only way to adequately protect the victim. He also banned Liang from using any internet device for six months after she is released.