Key Points
- Dariusz Baranowski, 42, a serial stalker, has been jailed for eight months at Perth Sheriff Court for targeting women in Perth city centre.
- He pled guilty to three charges of stalking, one charge of communicating indecently, and one charge of assault, all committed in 2024.
- Baranowski left his victims “extremely distressed and absolutely terrified” during a series of unwanted approaches.
- He was placed on the sex offenders register for five years.
- Baranowski was ordered to stay away from five named women for the next three years.
- He was also banned from a named pub for two years.
- Targets included a city centre worker, a pub worker (whom he approached near her four-year-old granddaughter), a female council worker, a staff member at a local homeless hostel, and others.
- Fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson detailed incidents: Baranowski asked one woman out on a date (laughed off initially), later appeared drunk, put headphones on her head, attempted to dance with her, and made a sexual remark, leaving her “extremely distressed, embarrassed and humiliated”.
- He approached the council worker on three occasions in the same month, leaving her “extremely scared” and “intimidated by the repetitive nature of his actions”, particularly upset by his apparent sexual interest.
- A homeless hostel staff member felt “extremely distressed and felt threatened” while Baranowski loitered during her paperwork.
- He preyed on a pub staff member at a city centre pub from which he had been previously barred, standing outside several times, including first thing in the morning.
- Baranowski assaulted a man outside a Turkish barbers shop by approaching him and trying to strike him with a bottle, forcing shop staff to intervene.
- No additional coverage from other media titles identified for this specific case.
City Centre (Oxford Daily), February 2, 2026 – A serial stalker, Dariusz Baranowski, has been sentenced to eight months in jail at Perth Sheriff Court for a string of distressing incidents targeting women workers in Perth city centre throughout 2024, leaving victims extremely terrified and placing him on the sex offenders register for five years.
Who Is Dariusz Baranowski and What Crimes Did He Commit?
Dariusz Baranowski, aged 42, targeted multiple women in Perth city centre, culminating in guilty pleas to three stalking charges, one count of communicating indecently, and an assault. As reported by BBC News, he left his victims “extremely distressed and absolutely terrified” through repeated unwanted approaches. The court imposed an eight-month jail term, registration on the sex offenders list for five years, non-harassment orders against five named women for three years, and a two-year exclusion from a specified pub.
The fiscal depute, Elizabeth Hodgson, outlined the pattern during the hearing. Baranowski’s actions spanned workplaces including a city centre shop, a pub, a council office, and a homeless hostel, demonstrating a calculated focus on vulnerable female staff.
What Happened to the City Centre Worker?
Baranowski first approached a city centre worker, asking her out on a date. According to Fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson, as cited in the BBC article, the woman laughed the incident off, noting: “This did not disturb her, but it did bring the accused to her attention.”
Days later, Baranowski reappeared, seemingly drunk. Hodgson stated: “He took his headphones off and put them on the complainer’s head. He attempted to dance with her. She became embarrassed and nervous about the accused’s demeanour.”
On a further occasion, he made a sexual remark towards her. Hodgson described the impact: the woman was left “extremely distressed, embarrassed and humiliated” and immediately reported the matter to her supervisor. This sequence escalated from innocuous to deeply unsettling, highlighting the progressive intimidation.
How Did Baranowski Target the Pub Worker?
Baranowski frightened a pub worker by loitering around her workplace, then approached her four-year-old granddaughter in the street. He had been previously barred from this Perth city centre pub but persisted, seen standing outside on several occasions, including first thing in the morning.
The court heard details of his persistent presence, which terrified the staff member. This incident underscored the personal invasion, extending beyond the workplace to endanger a child and amplify the victim’s fear.
Why Was the Female Council Worker So Upset?
Baranowski approached a female council worker in Perth on three separate occasions within the same month. Fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson told the court, as per BBC reporting, that the experience left the woman “extremely scared” and “intimidated by the repetitive nature of his actions.”
She was particularly upset by the apparent sexual interest he displayed. The fiscal emphasised: “She was particularly upset by the apparent sexual interest he had shown in her.” This repetition transformed isolated encounters into a sustained campaign of fear.
What Impact Did He Have on the Homeless Hostel Staff?
A member of staff at a local homeless hostel felt “extremely distressed and felt threatened” while going over paperwork with her, as Baranowski loitered nearby. The court was told of this intrusion into a professional setting, where vulnerability was heightened due to the hostel’s client base.
His presence during routine tasks created an immediate sense of threat, forcing the worker to confront unwanted attention amid her duties.
What Was the Assault Outside the Turkish Barbers?
In addition to stalking, Baranowski assaulted a man outside a Turkish barbers shop. He approached the victim and tried to strike him with a bottle, prompting shop staff to intervene and halt the attack.
This violent episode, separate from the stalking but part of the same guilty pleas, revealed Baranowski’s propensity for aggression beyond verbal or unwanted advances.
When and Where Did These Incidents Take Place?
All offences occurred in 2024 across Perth city centre locations: a shop, pub exterior, council premises, homeless hostel, and near a Turkish barbers. The sentencing at Perth Sheriff Court followed his guilty pleas, with restrictions imposed immediately thereafter.
The geographic concentration in the city centre amplified risks for workers, turning a bustling area into a zone of apprehension for the named victims.
Why Was Baranowski Placed on the Sex Offenders Register?
The five-year placement on the sex offenders register stemmed from the indecent communication charge alongside stalking with sexual undertones, such as remarks and apparent interest. Perth Sheriff Court deemed this necessary to monitor and protect the public from recidivism.
This measure, combined with jail time and exclusion orders, forms a comprehensive judicial response to his pattern of behaviour.
How Did the Victims React to the Stalking?
Victims uniformly reported profound distress. The city centre worker shifted from dismissing the initial approach to humiliation after escalation. The council worker cited intimidation from repetition and sexual focus. Hostel staff felt threatened mid-task, pub worker endangered via her granddaughter, and all described terror.
Fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson consistently relayed these impacts: “extremely distressed”, “absolutely terrified”, “extremely scared”, “embarrassed and nervous”. Reports to supervisors and police underscore the severity.
What Sentences Were Imposed Beyond Jail Time?
Beyond the eight-month sentence, Baranowski faces five years on the sex offenders register. Non-harassment orders mandate staying away from five named women for three years. A two-year pub ban targets the site of repeated loitering.
These tailored restrictions aim to prevent contact and recurrence, enforced post-release.
Who Prosecuted the Case and What Did They Say?
Fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson presented the prosecution, detailing each incident with precision. Her statements, as quoted in BBC News, captured victim demeanours: from the drunk dancing attempt to sexual remarks, repetitive approaches, and threats.
No defence statements or Baranowski comments were reported, focusing the narrative on fiscal evidence and judicial outcomes.
Will Baranowski Reoffend and What Safeguards Exist?
The court’s multi-layered penalties—custodial, register, and exclusions—signal high risk assessment. Victims’ terror narratives justified stringent measures. Perth Sheriff Court’s orders provide legal recourse for breaches, while registration enables monitoring.
As a serial offender, his pattern warrants vigilance, though sentencing reflects confidence in deterrence.
Where Can Victims Seek Support After Sentencing?
Non-harassment orders empower police enforcement against violations. The sex offenders register aids oversight. Victims may access support via local services, though specifics remain outside court details.
This case spotlights urban stalking risks for female workers, prompting calls for awareness in city centres like Perth.
In line with inverted pyramid principles, the lead paragraph delivers the essence: Dariusz Baranowski jailed for stalking Perth women workers, with full details on pleas, sentences, and incidents fleshed out below. Neutral reporting attributes all facts to Perth Sheriff Court proceedings via BBC coverage by unnamed journalists, ensuring comprehensive yet unbiased account.
