Terrified spouse had to take refuge in police station

A spurned husband hounded his estranged wife after rolling up his sleeve to reveal her new motor’s registration and warning: “It won’t be too hard to find you.”

David Harper, 31, trailed Joanne Harper in his car after she revealed she was leaving him.

He boxed her in before driving after her and bombarding her with phone calls – even when she ran into a police station begging for help.

The creep yesterday admitted acting in a threatening manner after he was hauled into Paisley Sheriff Court.

Prosecutor Maureen McGovern told how his behaviour became menacing after he demanded Joanne and a pal bring his mail to his mum’s.

She said: “He rolled up his sleeve and showed he had written the registration of the new car she was driving.

“He told her it wouldn’t be too hard to find her.

“The accused manoeuvred his vehicle alongside hers and prevented her from driving off. “She was intimidated “Her friend began to record the incident. “He demanded she return to Aberdeen where she originally came from.

“If she didn’t, he would get somebody to ‘make sure’ she did.

“She did manage to drive off, but was followed closely by the accused.

“She drove around the Paisley area and was followed for 15 minutes.

“Due to his behaviour and feeling scared, she drove to Paisley police office to report the incident.

“While inside, the accused was repeatedly phoning her.”

The pair had been together for six years and were married for the last year-anda- half.

Police traced the commercial fire fitter to his mother’s home in the hours after he began following her.

Defence lawyer Alastair Gray said his client knows the relationship is over.

He said: “It was an empty threat. He doesn’t even know how he would go about such a threat.

“He accepts he didn’t go about this the right way.”

Harper followed Joanne from Gallowhill Road across the town on the afternoon of May 14.

Sheriff Craig Harris warned him he faces jail for any further harassment.

He said: “I am, with some hesitation, prepared to draw a line under the matter.

“You will have a domesticallyaggravated conviction on your record.

“If there’s any future repeat, it will count against you.

“This must have been fairly frightening for Ms Harper and I have got to take that into account.”

Harper, of Second Avenue, Uddingston, South Lanarkshire, was fined £675.