A READING  man has been charged with stalking with fear in connection with the disappearance of a Bracknell girl from a Windsor nightclub. 

Marnie Clayton, 18, was found safe and well in Basingstoke on Monday, January 17 after last being seen at Atik nightclub on Sunday, January 16. 

Abid Khan, 21, of Cardigan Gardens, Reading, was charged with stalking with fear on Wednesday, January 19. 

He denied the accusation and is set to appear at Reading Crown Court for a pre-trial hearing next month. 

READ MORE: Reading man denies stalking in connection with girl's disappearance 

But what sentences do people who are convicted of stalking offences receive?

There are two types of stalking offences that fall under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997

According to the Sentencing Council, stalking (without fear of violence) involves persistently following someone. It does not necessarily mean following them in person and can include watching, spying or forcing contact with the victim through any means, including through social media.

The maximum sentence for this offence is six months in custody. It increases to two years if the offence is racially or religiously aggravated. 

Stalking with fear of violence involves two or more occasions that have caused the victim to fear violence will be used against them or had a substantial adverse effect on their day-to-day activities.

People convicted of this offence can be thrown behind bars for up to ten years, and up to 14 years if there is a racial or religious motive. 

To see what sentences Berkshire residents convicted of stalking offences received, we took a look back through the court cases we’ve reported on before to find out. 

Joseph Lee

Joseph Lee, 25, of Battle Place, Reading, admitted stalking without fear in Reading. 

According to court files, Lee visited a woman’s home address and looked through her windows between April 30, 2021, and May 18, 2021. 

He was handed a community order with a requirement to carry out 40 hours of unpaid work. 

A restraining order was also made, banning Lee from contacting the victim. 

Ashley Hutton

A Maidenhead man was told to keep away from a woman he spied on using recording devices in her home and car.

Ashley Hutton, of Maidenhead Court Park, admitted to stalking a woman in Bracknell between October and December 2020.

The 37-year-old did this by placing recording devices in her home and car, restricting her use of Wi-Fi, redirecting her mail, posting on Instagram, and searching through her belongings.

Appearing at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Friday, August 13, 2021, Hutton was told to take part in up to 25 rehabilitation activity days.

He was also ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work and pay £180 in court fees.

Hutton was told he must not contact the victim unless through a solicitor until August 2023.

Wqaral Haq

42-year-old Haq was jailed for stalking involving serious alarm in August 2021. 

The Maidenhead man, of Great Hill Crescent, was sent to prison for 24 weeks after he admitted stalking a woman causing her distress. 

Haq frequently called and attender the woman’s place of work between March 1, 2020 and July 1, 2020. 

He also followed her on Maidenhead High Street on two occasions in March and June 2020. 

According to a court file, his actions had a “substantial adverse effect on her usual day-to-day activities”. 

Andrew Dobson

In May 2021, Andrew Dobson, of Elizabeth Avenue, Newbury, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after he was convicted of stalking and harassment.

The 30-year-old was given 52 weeks for his stalking convictions and 12 weeks concurrent for his harassment offence.

He was given an extra half-a-year in jail for breaching a suspended sentence order, handed a restraining order against the stalking victim, and told to pay a victim surcharge of £156.