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| Stalker Al Amin Dhalla guilty of loaded crossbow charge | Stalker Al Amin Dhalla guilty of loaded crossbow charge |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A former City worker convicted of stalking his former fiancee has been found guilty of possessing a loaded crossbow near her workplace. | A former City worker convicted of stalking his former fiancee has been found guilty of possessing a loaded crossbow near her workplace. |
| Al Amin Dhalla, 42, described as a "narcissistic psychopath", was found guilty of nine charges including arson and harassment at Lewes Crown Court. | |
| The court heard he stalked Alison Hewitt, 35, of Brighton, and her family after she ended their relationship. | |
| The crossbow was found in his car at Hayward's Heath Hospital. | The crossbow was found in his car at Hayward's Heath Hospital. |
| Dhalla, who is Canadian, is due to be sentenced on 16 April. | |
| 'Prevented three murders' | 'Prevented three murders' |
| Following the verdict Dr Hewitt said: "I feel very relieved that it is all over now. I'm looking forward to getting back to my normal life. | |
| "I feel very emotional at all that's happened and all I can say is a big thank you to all who have supported me through this process." | |
| At one point her mother Pamela and her partner David Gray were airlifted by police from Lundy Island, near Devon, because officers feared Dhalla was going to attack them. | |
| Dhalla also posed as a nurse to collect information about Dr Hewitt's working pattern at her hospital. | |
| The trial was told how he moved into the home of Ms Hewitt months after meeting her through an online dating agency. | |
| However, her family voiced concern over his "unseemly haste" to marry her and relations soured. | |
| The couple split after a year and Dhalla went on to set fire to her family's home near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, while her mother and stepfather were on holiday. | The couple split after a year and Dhalla went on to set fire to her family's home near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, while her mother and stepfather were on holiday. |
| Ms Hewitt's mother, Pamela, described Dhalla as a "narcissistic psychopath" during the trial. | |
| Det Ch Insp Rebecca Mears, from Thames Valley Police, said he was "an exceptionally dangerous man". | |
| She added: "Our fear was that his intent was to kidnap and possibly murder Alison, and possibly her parents as well. | She added: "Our fear was that his intent was to kidnap and possibly murder Alison, and possibly her parents as well. |
| "Ultimately we think we've prevented up to three murders." | "Ultimately we think we've prevented up to three murders." |
| On Tuesday he was convicted of arson being reckless as to whether life is endangered, attempted arson, damaging property and two counts of theft. | On Tuesday he was convicted of arson being reckless as to whether life is endangered, attempted arson, damaging property and two counts of theft. |
| Dhalla was found not guilty of two more serious charges of putting a person in fear of violence through harassment but convicted of two alternative charges of harassment of Miss Hewitt and her mother. | Dhalla was found not guilty of two more serious charges of putting a person in fear of violence through harassment but convicted of two alternative charges of harassment of Miss Hewitt and her mother. |
| On Wednesday he was also found guilty of possessing an offensive weapon and perverting the course of justice but cleared of one count of theft. | On Wednesday he was also found guilty of possessing an offensive weapon and perverting the course of justice but cleared of one count of theft. |