A 26-YEAR-OLD Cirencester man has been jailed for stalking and harassing two girls.

Durga Emani, of Castle Street, Cirencester, was sentenced to 12 weeks in jail for stalking one of his victims.

He was sentenced to two further weeks in prison for using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause the other girl harassment, alarm or distress.

Emani was sentenced on Tuesday, October 15 at Cheltenham Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to the offences on June 5.

His offences were said to be so serious that only custodial sentences could be justified.

Probation reports indicated that the risk Emani posed to his victims could not be managed in the community, that there was no realistic prospect of rehabilitation and that Emani showed no insight or remorse into the effects of his actions.

It was also noted that the victims were minors at the time of the offences and that persistent action over a long period had caused them to feel unsafe in their hometowns and workplaces.

The court was told that Emani stalked his first victim between June 2021 and March this year.

He made unwanted contact with the girl on social media between June and September 2021 and attempted to add her to Snapchat in June 2023 and other unknown dates.

He also made unwanted contact with her in person, including in May 2022, around July 2023 and around August to September 2023.

Emani intimidated the girl by staring at her, including in October 2023 in Cirencester town centre, according to the court register.

He also followed and watched the victim and visited and loitered at her workplace, including on three occasions in 2023 and 2024.

The second victim was targeted in Cirencester in November last year.

For the stalking offence, Emani was additionally given a restraining order against his victim lasting until October 2029.

It included an order not to contact the victim by any means either directly or indirectly, including social media.

He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £154 surcharge.