Obsessed stalker sent ex-university professor an invitation to their imaginary wedding and called himself her ‘husband’
A STALKER sent his ex-university professor an invitation to their imaginary wedding and called himself her “husband”.
Obsessed Tin Yeung, 28, bombarded Erengul Dodd with emails in a three-year campaign of harassment.
In a twisted move, he also booked a registry office for their “wedding” and printed out photos of the professor’s young son.
The “deeply traumatised” Southampton lecturer was forced to move offices as Yeung would just randomly show up at her workplace.
Yeung has now swerved jail and was instead handed an 18 week sentence, suspended for 12 months, and a restraining order.
Southampton Magistrates’ Court heard how the student had joined Professor Dodd’s lectures in September 2015.
The lecturer, who specialises in Actuarial Mathematics, said he was a “good student” but was “often alone”.
After graduating in 2016, there was no interaction between the two for three years until Yeung showed up outside Professor Dodd’s office one day.
The academic said hello to her former student and believed that was the end of it.
But what followed was a three-year stalking campaign that left Professor Dodd living in fear.
Yeung would message her, referring to himself as her “husband”, “your lover” and “dear slave”.
The emails were also of a “sexual nature” and often written using different addresses.
As the obsession grew, Yeung invited Professor Dodd to a marriage ceremony for the two of them on June 2020 and booked the registry office.
He also repeatedly showed up at her workplace – including on one occasion where security were called as Yeung clutched tightly to a bag containing photos of the lecturer and her family.
In a victim impact statement, she described her former student’s actions as “delusional” and “disturbing”.
Professor Dodd added: “[His actions] caused me to change my place of work temporarily.
“I have started watching my back in case he is following me. I have found his actions intimidating.”
Magistrate Gary Chant banned Yeung, who pleaded guilty to stalking, from entering Hampshire or contacting Professor Dodd.
He will also have to pay a total of £239 in costs and complete a 12 month offender requirement programme.
Sentencing, Mr Chant said: “This was a very serious offence of which the stalking took place over a long period of time.
“You were found in possession of her family photos, photos that included her six year old son.
“She had to temporarily move her place of work which is just not on.”