Golspie man told to pay £1000 compensation for stalking
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A Golspie man stalked his former partner for three months after they broke up, a court was told yesterday.
Unemployed David Jack, the Haven, Main Street, repeatedly followed Tracey Murray as she went about her business between February and April this year.
At night he parked in a spot where he could keep an eye on her home and as soon as he saw her bedroom light go out, he sent her a menacing text.
He even followed her when she spent a night in a hotel in Inverness.
Police were finally called in after Jack stalked Ms Murray to a blood donors’ session and verbally harangued her as she lay helpless on a trolley bed with a line in her arm.
The 40-year-old was ordered to pay £1000 in compensation to Miss Murray when he appeared for sentencing at Dornoch Sheriff Court yesterday.
He had admitted at an earlier court repeatedly stalking Ms Murray and behaving in an abusive manner towards her, to her fear and distress, between 17th February and 14th April this year.
Sheriff David Sutherland told Jack: "I have to say that if you commit something like this again, Mr Jack, you are facing a prison sentence."
Jack’s three year relationship with Miss Murray came to an end in February when it was made plain to him that she wanted nothing to do with him, procurator fiscal Alasdair MacDonald told the court.
However, Miss Murray continued to receive text messages from Jack.
Said the fiscal: "What was concerning about the text messages was not so much the content but the fact that they always arrived as soon as she put our her bedroom light.
"On one occasion she was spending a night at a hotel in Inverness when she received a text message from the accused. She looked out the window and saw the accused’s vehicle outside the hotel."
Miss Murray’s suspicions that Jack was following her and watching her were confirmed when a third person, who was aware of the situation, saw the accused sitting in his car in Golspie Business Park.
"Miss Murray’s house on Ferry Road is on the other side of the railway line from the business park. The accused could sit undisturbed in the car park of the business park and watch the rear of her home," explained the fiscal.
Jack even followed Miss Murray when she played a round of golf at Golspie Golf Club.
Continued the fiscal: "The accused watched her as she played around the golf course. He put himself in positions where he could spy on her as she went on to each of the greens."
Matters came to a head on 14th April when Miss Murray and a female friend went to Golspie High School’s Assembly Hall to attend a blood donors’ session.
"Miss Murray was lying on one of the makeshift beds or couches provided for blood donors and was hooked up and in the process of donating blood, when the accused strode into the Assembly Hall and went straight up to where she was," said the fiscal.
"She was trapped because of the position she was in – her arm was held by a tube. Jack began to remonstrate with her about the break up of the relationship. He shouted that it was her fault and said she was having an affair with a married man.
"This went on for between five to ten minutes and a number of people became aware that something was wrong.
"Miss Murray tried to turn away and ignore him and, when he saw she was not responding, the accused gave up and left the Assembly Hall.
"Miss Murray was upset and crying and was very concerned that he might be waiting for her. She reported what had happened to police."
Jack initially appeared in court on 17th June when he admitted the offence.
Defence agent Stephen Lennon said his client was a first offender.
"He accepts he over-reacted. He has not had any contact with the complainer since 14th April," said the lawyer.
The lawyer revealed that Jack, who was not working but had hopes of future employment, had moved to Edinburgh.
