A serial stalker whose actions had chilling parallels with a character in Netflix show Baby Reindeer has been jailed for five years.
Paralegal Kobi Langshaw carried out a “deliberate, relentless and carefully calculated” campaign against two men over eight years, a Perth court heard.
Her obsession with a man she was in love with and that man’s best friend, whom she hated, led to her being called “Australia’s reindeer calf”.
Langshaw was found guilty of three counts of harassment and 21 counts of breaching a violence restraining order in relation to family lawyer Patrick Gardner and his friend, Aaron Herbert, who is also a lawyer, for crimes committed in 2020.
His actions included moving to the suburb where one of the men lived and stopping by his house every morning before going to work, the Western Australia reported.
The magnitude of her crimes led Magistrate Belinda Coleman to conclude that Langshaw was at high risk of reoffending and was “very dangerous.”
“Having had the opportunity to observe him closely during a 15-day trial and subsequent court appearances… I believe I have gained valuable information,” the magistrate told Langshaw.
“In my opinion, you take the opportunity to give explanations and excuses for your offense and enjoy being the center of attention.”
Paralegal Kobe Langshaw (pictured), who harassed two lawyers for eight years, has been sentenced to five years in prison.
The magistrate said it would take her a full day to outline “the inconsistencies in the various reports and submissions” Langshaw had submitted.
He said the paralegals were “a very poor historian” regarding his childhood and the crimes he had committed.
And you harass… out of desire for revenge or power. You remain at high risk of reoffending. I consider you very dangerous.’
In their victim impact statements, both Mr Gardner and Mr Herbert said they felt “completely helpless” and had not been believed.
They said they initially felt the police did not take their complaints seriously and spent countless hours trying to prove crimes committed against them.
Langshaw’s offenses have been compared to those of Martha (pictured) in Baby Reindeer, who relentlessly stalks a waiter who showed her some kindness.
Last May, Langshaw was banned for life from contacting the two men.
When that ban was handed down in Perth Magistrates Court, Langshaw repeatedly interrupted and argued with Ms Coleman.
The court heard Langshaw had been sentenced on five other occasions for breaching violence restraining orders, stalking with intent to intimidate, lying to obtain bail, common assault and criminal damage.
Langshaw’s offenses have been compared to Martha in this year’s Netflix hit Baby Reindeer, who relentlessly stalks a waiter who showed her some kindness.
Langshaw, who represented herself in court, met criminal and family lawyer Gardner in 2015, when she was briefly his client.
The following year, he took out a restraining order for violence against her, The Australian reported.
The court was told of the extraordinary efforts Langshaw went to in searching for his victims.
On one occasion, he called the president of Mr Gardner’s football club, posing as an AFL official, and told him he had a referee’s award for him. The nocturnal reported.
He later appeared at the club’s awards night and refused to leave.
On another occasion, Langshaw let his children play with a skipping rope just yards from Mr Gardner’s house, which was captured on CCTV.
He was also banned from the Family Court building in Perth due to the outbursts there.
“She is a very intelligent woman,” Mrs. Coleman said. ‘It is clear that he uses charm to manipulate others for personal gain.
‘She has a sense of superiority and is very stubborn. When challenged, she becomes hostile, but can instantly become sweet and simple again.
The magistrate discovered that Langshaw was in love with Mr Gardner and had a bordering on pathological hatred for Mr Herbert.
Magistrate Coleman accepted a police application for lifetime restraining orders for Langshaw, banning him from contacting the victims again.
Langshaw’s sentencing was delayed until August 2023 to take into account time already served and made her eligible for parole.