OAP awaiting sentence over stalking case

A TAYSIDE pensioner is still awaiting sentence over a five-month stalking campaign against a woman more than 40 years his junior.

David Milne, 77, from Muirhead, appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court and admitted a five-month campaign which included making sexual comments, sending letters and staring at the woman outside her home.

The court heard Milne, who was born i n 1938, repeatedly waited for the woman to pass, waved at her and attempted to engage i n conversation, and made i nappropriate and sexually explicit comments to her.

He later delivered letters to her home which contained inappropriate comments, stared at her and stood outside her house.

Milne also admitted breaching bail conditions between March 10 and 30 this year, when he further attempted to wave the woman down, stared at her and threatened her.

The cour t previously heard Milne had minimised his offending during an interview with social workers, despite his guilty pleas by letter t o t he court.

Defence agent Michael Boyd said yesterday: “I understand there’s been an issue about acceptance of the plea.

“From my reading of the most recent report it does appear t here’s been an acknowledgment to a cer tain extent of the commission of an offence.

“The recommendation is for a period of deferred sentence for six months, perhaps with conditions but I don’t know whether your lordship is minded t o deal with it today.”

Sheriff Pino Di Emidio told Milne: “I’m conscious this has been hanging over you for some time.

“We’ve got a psychiatric report about you... but the criminal justice social work report i s not fully here.”

Sentence was deferred to December 22.

Milne, of Edward Place, admitted engaging i n a course of conduct which caused a woman fear and alarm between January 1 and June 6 last year.