A man has been given a two-year restraining order and an 18-month community order for stalking Liverpool women’s football star Marie Hobinger. Mangal Dalal sent the Austrian player sexually explicit messages on Instagram and expressed his desire to have children with her. This behavior caused Hobinger anxiety and affected her daily life, leading to a worsening of her skin condition. Dalal, from Marylebone, London, admitted to stalking at Liverpool Magistrates Court and was also ordered to pay £650 in costs and a £114 victim surcharge.
During sentencing, District Judge Hina Rai emphasized the distress caused by Dalal’s inappropriate messages, which made Hobinger fearful and disrupted her daily routine. Dalal admitted to attending a Liverpool match in Manchester and being seen near the pitch afterward, attributing his actions to a mental health issue during a police interview.
In a victim statement, Hobinger revealed that the stalking had a negative impact on her performance and well-being, causing sleep disturbances and feelings of fear and anxiety at home. She expressed her disapproval of receiving sexually explicit messages and highlighted the need to respect women in football without sexualizing or disrespecting them. Hobinger, who joined Liverpool in 2023 from FC Zurich Frauen, is currently recovering from an injury but made history in the Women’s Super League with a hat-trick of assists in a match against Chelsea.
Dalal’s defense lawyer, Daniel Lister, mentioned that his client, despite having no prior criminal record, was experiencing a psychotic episode during the incidents involving the footballer.