A FACTORY worker remains a “serious threat to his victim” after he forced his ex-lover to flee Southampton, a court heard.

Dleir Amin persistently harassed his former partner during months of “mental” torture as he spied on her while she shopped, went to college and when at her home.

Magistrates’ described the 39-year-old as causing “severe psychological harm” to the victim before jailing him for 18-weeks.

Southampton Magistrates’ Court found Amin, a machine handler at a salad factory in Andover, guilty of 11 counts of stalking, which led to harassment, between September 2016 and January 2017 at hearing last month.

The court heard that he left the victim “too scared to carry on living in Southampton” and that she had been left “helpless, scared and frightened” by the prolonged harassment.

In a report issued by the probation service, it said that Amin had been unable to cope with ending of the relationship and that “if he continued to persist with the victim he would be able to establish another relationship” with her.

It said: “While he has respect for the courts, he still does not accept he has done anything wrong.”

The report added that Amin believed he would marry the victim and that his he had a “serious chance of reoffending”.

At the trial in July, prosecutors told the court that Amin had followed his ex to retailer Next in Hedge End where he was found to be “stood staring at her from within the ladies’ section”.

Amin was also alleged to have followed the complainant to an Iranian festival in Birmingham, telling her he would “never leave her alone” and pursuing a man he believed to be the victim’s new partner to Swindon.

Mitigating, Caroline Jones said that since January, Amin had not contacted the victim but had since married.

Magistrates said: “We have learned the victim has suffered harassment from your stalking behaviour for many weeks and over a large number of events.

“But we have heard that you do not accept that you have done nothing wrong.”

They added: “The victim has been damaged by your actions, causing psychological harm.”

Amin, of Orchard Lane, Southampton, was jailed for 18 weeks.

A restraining order was also made ensuring he did not contact the victim.