Stalker will wait for fate

A stalker businessman from Ayrshire faces a court sweat after he branded his ex wife a“people trafficker”while terrorising her with hundreds of emails following the breakdown of their marriage.

James McColm, 73, of Ayr, made Xu Meiqin’s life a misery by labelling her a criminal in venomous messages sent to other parties while they thrashed out their messy divorce settlement.

But McColm must wait until later in the year before a court decides his fate.

McColm appeared for sentencing at Ayr Sheriff Court on Tuesday, accompanied by his solicitor.

But the case has been further deferred until August.

In one vexatious email sent to Meiqin and her lawyer Elizabeth Welsh, McColm referred to his wife as “wicked”, a“liar”and“that nasty piece of work client”.

He also sent a letter to a man who bought a property from Meiqin branding her an“embezzler, fraudster, people trafficker and thief”as well as a“serial adulterer” with an“insatiable love of money.”

He was convicted of sending emails to his ex wife’s lawyer which could cause Meiqin fear alarm between May and December 2018 and making allegations about her in an email to her house buyer.

After an earlier trial at Ayr Sheriff Court, McColm was convicted under both stalking and domestic abuse legislation.

Meiqin met McColm when he was in China on business and moved to Scotland to marry him in 1998.

The case against McColm was further deferred until August in order for other matters to call.

McColm was ordered to be of good behaviour.