'I picked you': Creepy stalker made chilling claim to Leeds student as he masturbated outside her window

The horrified victim told Leeds Crown Court this week that she felt “sick to her stomach” when 53-year-old Jason Mart, who has previous sexual convictions to his name, approached the student house in Woodhouse.

She lived in the basement room of the shared property, which has a small window at pavement level. In July of last year, she noticed a pair of feet outside next to the window, but thought little of it, prosecutor Anthony Moore said.

A week later, at around 1am on July 11, she noticed a van pull up outside and a person get out, head towards the window and kneel down next to it. The girl grabbed a hammer and challenged him through the window.

She then noticed he was masturbating and he said: “I’m really sorry, I can’t help it. I really like you. I picked you.” He continued to masturbate and even told her his name was Jason.

A month later, on September 22, he returned again, but the student did not notice him. However, a neighbour across the road spotted him loitering around the window, crouching down again. They took photos of him and of his van and contacted the police.

Through the vehicle registration he was traced to his address on Birchwood Hill, Shadwell, and arrested. He was searched and found to have condoms and lubrication on him. They also found three DVDs at his home, depicting people engaged in sexual acts with animals.

Appearing in court via video link from HMP Leeds, where he has been held on remand, he admitted offences of stalking, exposure and possessing extreme pornography.

The court heard that he has three previous convictions including three counts of possessing illegal images and one of possessing extreme pornography from 2017. He was given a 36-month community order and given a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) to limit his internet use.

In a victim impact statement read out by Mr Moore on behalf of the victim, he said: “It made me feel sick and scared. I hoped it was a one-off incident and prayed that he would never return. I felt sick to my stomach that he had been following me.”

Mitigating, Cline Kart said Mart suffered from autism spectrum disorder, which left him with an inability to empathise, and had only been diagnosed at the age of 47.

She said: “He is evidently remorseful for his actions. He is candid and regretful. All of this offending is a pattern which relates to his condition.”

She said that due to his autism, he would find it difficult in prison, so asked the judge if he could be spared a custodial sentence.

But Judge Tahir Khan KC said it would be “difficult to entertain” a community order because of his previous convictions. He said: “An immediate sentence of custody is necessary. The words ‘predatory stalker’ has been used and there’s a degree of concern about future offending.”

He gave Mart 11 months’ jail, put him on the sex offender register for 10 years, and put a restraining order and new SHPO in place for life.