Derbyshire: ‘I lost a year of my life when stalker moved to UK’

A former Miss England who said her stalker moved from India to the UK to be closer to her.

Stephanie Hill, from Derbyshire, said she lost a year of her life after Dhol Chaudhary sent her hundreds of messages over 11 months from May 2020.

Chaudhry, now 29, was arrested and later sentenced at Derby Crown Court in May 2022 on a hospital order after admitting stalking and harassment.

This week, proposed “Right to Know” Legal Guidance was announced, which the government said would inform stalking victims as soon as possible of the identity of their abuser.

Miss Hill, who was crowned Miss England 2017, said that although she knew the identity of her stalker, she welcomed the news, calling it “the start of a lot of change”.

Speaking about his experience, the 29-year-old told the BBC That as Miss England she was required to have social media profiles to promote her work.

“Sadly it has a global reach and what we were doing got a gentleman’s attention internationally,” he said.

Ms Hill, who works in healthcare, said what happened was “horrendous”, when the man began chasing her and her family.

“He decided to move from his home country to the UK to be closer.

“He tried to get involved in my career and put me out of my job.”

She said she would block him online but created about 50 new social media accounts to keep in touch with him.

“Everything changed” when Chaudhry moved to the UK, he said.

“Suddenly he could find us at any moment.”

Ms Hill said she also tried to get other people to act on her behalf.

“So that anonymity element really came into play because he could talk to someone who was willing to make threats on his behalf, or carry out any kind of malicious activity.

“You never knew who you were going to pass on the street,” he added.

“I lost a year of my life. I don’t remember much because of the shock. You just survive.”

Ms Hill says the new proposal will give victims of stalking “more agency in the process”.

He added: “For people who are dealing with anonymous stalkers, the whole principle of stalking is that they feel entitled to the person’s time, their life, their relationship with them.

“That’s where the victim feels incredibly powerless.

“If the victim is allowed to find out who they are as early as possible, it gives them a little more agency in the process and brings the name out, and takes some of that power away from the person. Who is stalking.”

Chowdhury, of no fixed abode, was ordered to be hospitalized “until further notice”, as well as restraining and restraining orders.

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