Sheriff’s alarm at relationship

But a group of Angus MND fundraisers have definitely earned a rest after walking round the world from Montrose in 80 days – and pulling in almost £10,000 for vital motor neurone disease research.

For good measure, they even added an extra seven-and-a-half million steps to the original target of more than 32m for the virtual global challenge.

The success is a tribute by curling friends to the fortitude of Brechin woman Alison Pritchard.

A SHERIFF has questioned the relationship between a former Black Watch soldier and a “vulnerable” young woman, after he threatened to release intimate photos of her.

Kristopher Cruden’s liaison with the woman, who was less than half his age, became known to police after a kindly couple found his missing mobile phone in the grounds of Scone Palace.

The smashed-up device was discovered in March 2018, just days after the couple split up.

It was handed over to officers, who uncovered a series of unsettling texts.

Cruden, 44, was placed on the sex offenders register after he admitted sending his ex – then an older teenager – sexual messages without her consent, including a threat to rape her.

He also threatened to disclose a photo which showed his former partner in an intimate situation, to cause her fear, alarm or distress.

Perth sheriff Gillian Wade told him: “These are serious offences.

“And the appropriateness of your relationship with this young girl is very questionable indeed,” she said.

She ordered Cruden, of Maxwellton Street, Paisley, to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work and placed him on supervision for two years.

His name will also be put forward to Scottish Ministers to consider whether he is suitable for a further order that would ban him from working with children or vulnerable adults.

The court heard Cruden’s phone and its Sim card were handed over to police, who found it listed on their lost property database.

Fiscal depute Michael Sweeney said the phone was sent for further analysis and detectives found messages from Cruden, calling his victim a “dirty s***”.

Hearing the teenager had started a new relationship, Cruden told her: “I’ll send him a few of your pics.”

Mr Sweeney said the teenager responded: “You still got my pics?

“I’m phoning the police right now, you’re unbelievable.”

Cruden then told her he had deleted the images.

Mr Sweeney said the woman was contacted by police and she confirmed she had been in a relationship with Cruden. She said he had intimate images of her.

“She stated that at the end of the relationship, he threatened to disclose images of her and that he would send abusive messages to her,” said Mr Sweeney.

Kristopher Cruden.