A football-obsessed fan has been jailed after leaving sports presenter Laura Woods living in “real fear” during a two-year campaign of harassment.
Harneet Kaur, 25, called Woods a prostitute in vile messages, attacked her with derogatory comments online and sent a series of unwanted food deliveries to her home.
Kaur, a Liverpool football fan who called herself ‘Krazy Harns’ online, also threatened to kidnap and kill Ms Woods’ dog and arranged for a Bible and sexual health testing kit to be sent to her home. . The sick campaign, which began in June 2021 and lasted until September 2023, had an “enormous and devastating” effect, according to Ms Woods’ victim impact statement.
The 36-year-old is a presenter for TNT Sports, formerly BT Sports, and travels around the country to attend matches and interviews.
Laura Woods, 36, is a presenter for TNT Sports, formerly BT Sports, and travels around the country for matches and interviews.
Harneet Kaur, 25, (pictured) branded Woods a prostitute in vile messages, attacked her with derogatory comments online and sent a series of unwanted food deliveries to her home.
Prosecutors said Kaur’s actions had left Woods in “real fear” that the defendant would approach her while she was working. She suffers from anxiety and has been forced to increase security at home and at work.
Kaur, who has autism, is already banned from Liverpool’s Anfield stadium for selling tickets. Her attorney claimed that her autism, which led to “obsession and compulsion,” was behind her crime.
But Judge Talog Davies, who sentenced her to 14 months in jail on Friday, said she would have known the impact she was having on Woods. Antonie Muller, prosecuting at Wolverhampton Crown Court, said Kaur’s campaign began in June 2021, when she used Just Eat to arrange the delivery of Krispy Kreme donuts to Ms Woods’ London home.
He said Ms Woods was initially “pleasantly surprised and thought it was a mistake or someone was being nice”, so she posted a photo on her Twitter account saying they had “brightened her evening”.
Laura Woods (pictured) before a Premier League match at the City Ground, Nottingham
TNT Sports presenter Laura Woods before the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester United at Molineux on February 1, 2024.
But he added: “She didn’t realize this would be the start of a campaign against her.” Woods received a Just Eat order from Starbucks, as well as a chocolate lollipop with a message saying “from your secret admirer and I’m not crazy.”
The contact then “everything became much darker,” Müller said. Among a series of vile messages was one saying Ms Woods was a “former prostitute who slept her way into a job”.
In July that year, Kaur’s iPad showed that she had visited the London street where Ms Woods lived. Other messages posted online from an account linked to Kaur called Ms Woods a “vile, stuck-up person”. Although Kaur was arrested on April 8, 2022, and her iPad and phone were confiscated, she continued to leave derogatory comments on Ms. Woods’ Wikipedia page and sent her a voice note on Instagram.
Kaur also sent messages saying Ms Woods was ‘conservative’ and not welcome in Liverpool before a match she was due to attend. Kaur was arrested again in August 2022 and police confiscated another iPhone, but “that didn’t stop her,” Muller said.
Prosecutors said Kaur’s actions had left Woods (pictured) in “real fear” that the defendant would approach her while she was working.
In October, he posted a message saying: “What is that drug addict doing at Anfield?” and posted a photo of Ms. Woods’ face on the body of an “overweight man.”
Prosecutors attempted to ban Kaur from all football grounds in the country, as well as all of Newcastle (where Woods’ boyfriend Adam Collard lives) and parts of London. But the judge said it was too draconian. Instead, he imposed a restraining order prohibiting her from contacting Woods and 14 other people, and from coming within 500 meters of the presenter’s home.
Balbir Singh, mitigating, said: “This defendant has never met Laura Woods, never spoken to her, never approached her – which is why this case is very different from many others that come before the courts.”
He said Kaur had a “severe degree of autism that was debilitating in all aspects of her life” and he could not understand the impact on Ms Woods.
Kaur, who lives with her accountant parents in Walsall, admitted harassing her at a previous hearing. Woods declined to comment.
Inside the meteoric rise of award-winning sportscaster Laura Woods
By Natasha Anderson
Laura Woods has become a household name in the world of sport and has presented some of the biggest shows in the UK.
Woods made her way into the industry working as a runner at Sky Sports after graduating from university. Over time, she rose to become editorial assistant, production assistant, associate and producer.
The 36-year-old saw her fame levels skyrocket last year after she became the face of TNT Sports following its rebrand, leading the channel’s football coverage in both the Premier League and La Liga. of Champions.
It has also been working with ITV to lead its football coverage, including the Women’s World Cup in Australia, New Zealand and Australia last year.
Woods has also covered the NFL and boxing throughout his career, having worked for companies such as DAZN.
Laura Woods, pictured in November 2023, has become a household name in the world of sport and has presented some of the UK’s biggest shows.
Woods has become the face of the channel’s Premier League and Champions League coverage.
Woods was awarded Presenter of the Year by Broadcast Sport after being recognized for her work covering women’s international matches in November last year.
She beat colleagues such as Mark Pougatch, who is the face of the men’s international games on ITV in both football and rugby, and Ed Chamberlain, the lead presenter of ITV’s racing coverage, to win the award.
She was also recognized for her role on ITV covering the FIFA Men’s and Women’s World Cup and FA Cup finals.
She said at the time: “For a presenter to win an award like this, they need a safe and encouraging environment to thrive and that, for me, has been ITV.”
“So I would like to thank the amazing production team we have for making every day so much fun and for putting their heart and soul into their work behind the scenes.
‘I am very grateful to be part of this family. “This award means a lot to me.”
Woods won Broadcast Sport’s sports broadcaster of the year award late last year, his last award.
As her popularity rose, the former TalkSport presenter saw her earnings go with her following her departure from the radio show in June.
Woods was earning a salary of £250,000 a year for working at TalkSport, but figures show his assets have now reached a value of more than £1m.
Reports last month showed Woods, through his company The Pig and I Limited, increased his wealth from £400,000 to seven figures between December 2021 and December 2022, months before moving to TNT.
The 36-year-old is said to have received a huge pay rise after signing with the former BT Sport, receiving praise for her work with the broadcaster.