A pilot who booked an escort for a “girlfriend experience” has been jailed after stalking her when their relationship soured.

Airline pilot Naveen Beefnah, 36, took the woman for a week’s holiday in Greece while paying for her company, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

However, an argument erupted between them after the woman was too tired to have sex with Beefnah, from West Mersea.

“He was paying for a girlfriend experience and that sort of put an end to the relationship,” Edward Renvoize, prosecuting, told the jury during Beefnah’s trial in August.

“When they got back to the UK relations were very frosty between them. The prosecution says what came next was a campaign of stalking, harassment directed at her.”

East Anglian Daily Times: Beefnah was jailed at Ipswich Crown CourtBeefnah was jailed at Ipswich Crown Court (Image: Essex Police)

The court heard Beefnah exposed the woman’s employment as an escort to her family after tracing her mother, father and sister.

The defendant also emailed the victim pretending to be a former client with HIV amid “hundreds of messages” he bombarded her with.

Mr Renvoize said Beefnah accepted tracking down members of the woman’s family but said he did it to stop her allegedly threatening him and asking for money.

Beefnah, of Victory Place, West Mersea, denied stalking the woman between September 28 and October 20, 2020 but was convicted by a jury in August.

Mr Wayne, mitigating, said his client has “struggled with depression now for some years”, worsened by his time in custody on remand.

He said: “For many people entering the prison environment, it is those first few weeks that have the greatest impact, experiencing liberty being taken away.

“It is a chastening and, for many defendants, a very frightening experience. One that lives long in the memory.”

Recorder Jeremy Benson KC said Beefnah caused “very serious distress” and “psychological harm” to the victim.

He added: “This was clearly a campaign. It was clearly conduct designed to cause significant fear or distress.”

Mr Benson jailed the defendant for two years and nine months on Friday afternoon.

He imposed a restraining order banning Beefnah from contacting the woman or her family until a further hearing.