Man jailed for eight years for stalking ex-partner using fake Tinder profile

A 36-year-old man from Greater Manchester has been sentenced to eight years in prison after orchestrating a chilling stalking campaign in which he created a fake Tinder profile in his former partner’s name and lured multiple men to her home, some under the false belief that she wanted to act out a “rape fantasy”, BBC reported. Asad Hussain, also known as Ash Hussain, was convicted of stalking involving serious alarm or distress, assault, and failing to comply with an order to provide passcodes to electronic devices. A court also imposed a 15-year restraining order against him. According to investigators, Hussain first contacted the woman in April 2024 using the alias “Mick Renney” on social media. The pair went on several dates, but the relationship quickly deteriorated after Hussain allegedly became increasingly controlling. The woman ended the relationship in May after discovering behaviour she found unacceptable.

Despite repeated refusals, Hussain continued trying to rekindle the romance.

After being rejected, Hussain allegedly created a fake Tinder profile using the woman’s photographs and personal details. Through the account, he began inviting strangers to her home and sharing her address and phone number. What started as messages encouraging men to visit her house soon escalated into something far more sinister. Several men later told police they had been informed that the woman wished to engage in a “rape fantasy” and wanted to be “roughed up”. Some were even told that if she said “no”, it meant she “wanted it more”, The Guardian reported. Over the following weeks, several men appeared at her doorstep, believing they had been invited by the woman. On one occasion, a man forced the front door after receiving instructions that it was open but “stiff”, smashing a glass panel in the process. In another alarming incident, a stranger entered the property while the woman was at work, unaware that her teenage daughter was alone upstairs. Police believe at least 18 men were deceived into visiting the house, though investigators suspect the actual number may be significantly higher.

Cheshire Police launched an investigation in September 2024 after the victim reported the incidents. Detectives initially had little information to work with, as the woman did not know the true identity of “Mick Renney”. Investigators eventually identified Hussain through footage captured by the victim’s video doorbell. The footage showed a man repeatedly arriving in a white Audi R8, which was later traced back to Hussain through vehicle registration and insurance records. Police also uncovered evidence that Hussain had used three separate mobile phones — one for personal use, one linked to the alias “Mick Renney”, and another used to operate the fake Tinder account. Although Hussain is believed to have destroyed the devices after learning of the investigation, detectives successfully linked them to him through telecommunications data, which revealed the phones frequently moved together. Several of the men who had been tricked into visiting the woman’s home also cooperated with investigators, providing crucial evidence. In her victim impact statement, the woman said the sentence would bring her some peace but could not erase the trauma inflicted on her and her daughters. “No person has the right to make me feel unsafe in my own home just because I no longer want to date them,” she was quoted as saying by The Guardian, adding that she still worries about how many people may possess her address and believe the false claims made online. Describing the case as one of the most disturbing and technically complex stalking investigations the force had handled, investigators said the conviction sends a clear message that offenders who use digital platforms to harass and terrorise victims can and will be traced.