London man charged with harassing and following women pleads guilty

A 22-year-old London, Ont. man accused of following several women, mostly around Western University, pleaded guilty Thursday to six counts of criminal harassment relating to 12 individuals.

After being credited with 123 days of pre-sentence custody, Saranjeet Singh received a suspended sentence followed by three years probation.

He will not be allowed to contact the complainants or be within 100 metres of where they live, work or learn.

He is also prohibited from going anywhere in London inside an area bounded by Fanshawe Park Road, Adelaide Street North, Riverside Drive and Wonderland Road. The area covers Western’s campus.

He is not allowed to possess weapons for 10 years and was ordered to provide a sample of his DNA.

Deputy crown attorney Eric Costaris was unable to comment on whether Singh could face deportation, but noted to Global News that Singh is a foreign national with temporary status in Canada and that “an official from Canada Border Services Agency was present for the hearing.”

London police initially took Singh into custody on Oct. 19 and charged him with five counts of criminal harassment by repeated following in relation to incidents on and near Western University’s campus on Oct. 18 and 19.

Singh was released by police and was rearrested days later on Oct. 23 in connection with an alleged incident that occurred that day. At that time, London police laid additional charges in connection with alleged incidents that occurred between Oct. 16 and 18.

Singh remained in custody until Nov. 5 when he was released on bail with conditions. Upon his release, police issued a warning to the public about Singh’s charges along with a mugshot, advising Londoners “to not approach or engage with the accused.”

Roughly a week later, police arrested the 22-year-old for a third time on Nov. 13 in relation to an incident near Adelaide Street and Commissioners Road that morning.

— with files from Global News’ Matthew Trevithick