WALTER MISSY EXCLUSIVE
STALKER’S BIZARRE TWISTED WORLD Fantasist admits stalking and terrifying close friend
A FAN TA SI ST who pretended to have a relationship with a stranger has admitted stalking and terrorising a close friend.
Jill Sharp pled guilty yesterday to carrying out a terrifying campaign against a pal and her partner.
The 33-year-old created fake online profiles to target Margaret and Steven Paton with abuse over a three-year period. She sent emails to their workplaces alleging they were involved in criminal activity.
The Record first exposed Sharp’s activities in February 2017 when we told how she stalked a man on the internet for four years, even claiming they were engaged.
Sharp created a fake second life using photos a couple put on social media.
She then posted the photos of her made-up life on Twitter, telling friends she was getting married.
Margaret believed Sharp dreamed up her bogus romance out of jealousy after she got engaged to Steven.
At Livingston Sheriff Court, Sharp, of Airdrie, pled guilty to a charge under stalking laws. She admitted causing fear and alarm to Margaret and Steven between 2014 and 2017.
Sentence was deferred until next month by Sheriff Douglas Kinloch.
The court heard Sharp used social media accounts and email addresses which concealed her identity to contact Margaret, Steven and other people connected to them at their workplaces. She posted messages on social media relating to Margaret which contained abusive remarks.
Sharp also admitted leaving voicemails for Margaret with sectarian remarks and threats of violence.
The two women met through their shared love of Rangers. They started chatting about football on Twitter and met up for games at Ibrox.
During the abuse campaign, Sharp visited Margaret’s workplace at Sky TV in Livingston and sent her colleagues emails. These messages contained malicious and threatening remarks, and allegations that she and Steven were involved in crime.
She sent further emails to Steven’s work at a housing association, with more threatening remarks and allegations he was a criminal.
Sharp told pals she had met a man named Graham and posted loved-up images on social media.
She set up a fake Twitter account for her “boyfriend” and sent romantic messages between them. A pal said: “Her posts were all champagne and flowers and how wonderful a life she was living with Graham.”
Sharp then told her friends online and in her local pub that Graham had proposed and they were marrying later this year. But pals spotted mistakes in her pictures which led them to believe they were fake.
Using the pseudonym Angie to protect her identity, Margaret previously told the Record: “I’ve had a terrible time with this woman. She caused me a lot of anguish.”
She said her friendship with Sharp took a sinister turn after she and Steven got engaged.
She said: “Jill made out she was happy for us. Then she said she’d met someone and was playing out this big fantasy on Twitter.”
Margaret believed Sharp began sending her strange texts and online messages while posing as her bogus lover. She confronted Sharp.
She said: “I said I wasn’t happy and told her I didn’t want to hear any more of these messages. Instead of backing off, she went on a Twitter rampage, telling people I was depressed and not right in the head.”
Margaret added: “She sent me four voicemails that went beyond what had gone before. She said she was coming round to my house and was going to do violence to me.
“She came out with vile sectarian stuff, saying I was no better than a f ****** fenian. It was bigoted stuff that decent Rangers fans wouldn’t condone.”
Sharp declined to comment after the court hearing.
I’ve had a terrible time. This woman. has caused me a lot of anguish VICTIM MARGARET PATON ON SPITEFUL EX-FRIEND JILL SHARP