'Pick-up artist' Adnan Ahmed imprisoned for two years over behaviour which left young women 'mentally scarred'

'Why on earth would you consider it appropriate to touch a complete stranger on the cheek and try to kiss them?' says sherriff

The so-called pickup artist community, which is centred around men using manipulative techniques to seduce women, has been criticised for objectifying women as targets instead of equals and encouraging sexual violence

A “pick-up artist” who shared videos of young women he preyed upon online has been imprisoned for two years.

Adnan Ahmed – who called himself Addy A-game in covertly filmed videos – has been jailed for threatening behaviour towards women which left them “mentally scarred”.

The 38-year-old, from Maryhill in Glasgow, was convicted of threatening and abusive behaviour for approaching several young women – causing them fear and alarm.

Sheriff Lindsay Wood found there was a “significant sexual aspect” to the offences and placed Ahmed on the sex offenders register for ten years.

“Two schoolgirls were shamefully targeted by you in a quiet lane and the three other women were considerably younger than you,” the sheriff told Ahmed.

“Why on earth would you consider it appropriate to touch a complete stranger on the cheek and try to kiss them?”

He added: “You have acquired both notoriety and an unenviable reputation. Further, the public will be wise to such behaviour in future towards women by you and others like you.

“The courts will always try to keep abreast of developing criminal trends which cause public disquiet, concern and even outrage and will take appropriate steps to tackle these.”

He praised Ahmed’s victims for giving evidence, adding: “The mental scarring won’t leave in a hurry but they will be fortified that by giving evidence of what really happened you will be held to account.”

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard one woman was aged 21 when he approached her in the street, made comments about her appearance, touched her cheek and tried to kiss her, and she pushed him away.

He also approached two schoolgirls, aged 16 and 17, and asked the older one if she was at school, if she was married and if she wanted to meet for coffee.

He also approached two other women in the street, with all the offences taking place between 2016 and 2019 in Glasgow city centre and Uddingston.

Ahmed disputed his actions were unlawful and in evidence accused his victims of lying or misconstruing him. His lawyer Donna Armstrong told the court he had not intended to cause fear and alarm.

Ahmed was found guilty earlier this year by majority verdict following an eight-day trial.

The court heard Ahmed had previous convictions, including for drink-driving and a firearms charge, and had previously been jailed seven times – the longest for two years and three months.

He has been in custody since January for the current case and his two-year sentence was backdated till then.

Police began an investigation after his behaviour was revealed by the BBC’s The Social.

Ahmed provided advice on how to get over "last-minute resistance" to sex in video clips.

It also comes after an investigation by Panorama, which aired on BBC One earlier in the month, featured a journalist going undercover inside the highly controversial pick-up artist industry.

The so-called pickup artist community, which is centred around men using manipulative techniques to seduce women, has been criticised for objectifying women as targets instead of equals and encouraging sexual violence.

Additional reporting by Press Association