A London chauffeur, who believed he was in a romantic relationship with a Qatari princess, has been sentenced to a 12-month community order and a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement by Westminster Magistrates’ Court. Jihad Abousalah, 47, was found guilty of stalking Haya Al-Thani, a Qatari princess. The court was told that Abousalah, employed as Al-Thani’s chauffeur, believed he was romantically involved with her.
Prosecutor David Burns detailed how Abousalah’s behaviour escalated, including sending Al-Thani gifts such as a bracelet and flowers, as well as notes wishing her a happy birthday. While Al-Thani was in Doha, she began receiving many phone calls from him.
Abousalah also visited Al-Thani’s London residence, trying to send flowers to her through a member of her staff. His continuous behaviour raised significant concern, prompting Al-Thani to ask her husband, Mohamed Al-Thani, to arrange for private security to ensure her safety.
The court heard that Al-Thani’s daily life was severely disrupted by Abousalah’s actions. She reported feeling unsafe in her own home and expressed concerns about Abousalah’s knowledge of her children’s schedules.
The prosecutor, David Burns, said, “She (Al-Thani) said the whole incident caused her alarm and distress. She has said she could not go about her normal day-to-day life. She feels she needs protection for herself and for her children.”
The princess even frequently looked out of her windows to ensure he was not nearby, Burns added.
Defence counsel Sundeep Pankhania told the court that Abousalah’s actions were influenced by mental illness. He said, “He (Abousalah) had an ill-formed view that he was in a relationship with the princess. He divorced his wife because he genuinely held that belief.”
Judge Louisa Cieciora acknowledged the impact of Abousalah’s mental health on his actions, saying, “Your responsibility is substantially reduced by reason of your mental disorder.” But she also noted the “very serious distress” caused to Al-Thani and her family. Recognising his remorse, Cieciora sentenced Abousalah to a community order and mandated participation in rehabilitation activities.
A three-year restraining order was issued, prohibiting Abousalah from contacting Al-Thani or her husband and barring him from London’s Hyde Park area.
