A UK court has found Asad Hussain guilty of stalking after he set up a fake Tinder profile in his former girlfriend’s name and, prosecutors say, encouraged strangers to break into her home and sexually assault her.
The 36-year-old from Cheadle was convicted following a nine-day trial at Chester Crown Court and is due to be sentenced in June. Cheshire Police described the case as among the most disturbing they have encountered.
Police say Hussain created the bogus account in July 2024, weeks after the couple split in May. Posing as the woman, he messaged multiple men describing violent “rape fantasies,” and at least 18 men reportedly turned up at her address believing they had been invited. On one night four men arrived after receiving nearly identical messages. In one incident a man forced entry by damaging the front door and later showed the victim explicit instructions sent from the fake account. On another occasion a stranger entered the house while the woman was away, leaving her teenage daughter alone inside.
The court heard Hussain had earlier contacted the victim under the false name “Mick Renney” and had displayed controlling behaviour during the relationship, including repeatedly ringing her doorbell for hours when she had visitors. After the breakup he continued to harass her, contacting friends and family with accusations before investigators say his actions escalated into what they described as “sheer horror.”
Officers linked the alias to a vehicle registered to Hussain’s business and found he used multiple phones and altered his car registration in attempts to avoid detection. They also established he travelled to a location near the victim’s home each time the fake account was active. Hussain denied knowing the victim or operating the account, but digital and circumstantial evidence convinced jurors of his guilt.
Police called him “extremely deceitful,” saying he showed no remorse and had gone to great lengths to evade capture. The case underlines the risks of online impersonation and coercive control and raises renewed questions about safety and verification on dating platforms.
