Jealous ex defaced his former partner’s Valentine’s cards

Police called after he sneaked into her house

A creepy ex- boyfriend sneaked into his former girlfriend’s house and defaced her St Valentine’s Day cards, a court was told.

Jealous Steven McKenzie, 32, crept into the home of Lisa Cooper, from whom he is separated, on February 15 when he spotted the two cards in her living room.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard McKenzie entered the property at Fenwick Drive in Barrhead to leave a teddy bear for the couple’s daughter, when he carried out the selfish act which sparked horror for Ms Cooper, her family and her new partner.

She promptly phoned the police when she discovered her ex-partner had violated her home as he had somehow kept her house keys.

Fiscal depute Emma Jeffrey said: “The complainer Ms Cooper had been in a relationship with the accused for five years. The relationship ended in October 2017. They have one child together.

“At 3.30pm Ms Cooper received a voicemail from the accused. He said he had found the key to her house. He said he had left a teddy bear within the house for their daughter.

“Ms Cooper was concerned. She had not given the accused permission to enter the house. She didn’t know he still had a house key.

“At 4pm the accused contacted Ms Cooper’s mother to see if he could see the couple’s daughter. She refused.

“At 8pm the same day, Ms Cooper went to her home, entered the property, and saw that their two St Valentine’s cards had been defaced. She recognised the handwriting as that of the accused. She went upstairs and found a teddy bear in her daughter’s bedroom, together with a handwritten note, which recognised as belonging to the accused.”

The court heard the young mum was shaken that McKenzie had let himself into her home without her permission and called police to report him.

McKenzie appeared at court this week where he admitted a charge of entering the house without the householder’s permission and defacing her property.

Defence agent Rhona Lynch said McKenzie, now staying at an address in Stirling, had shown remorse for his actions.

She said: “He was devastated when their relationship broke down. He missed seeing his twoyear-old daughter.

“He suffered from mental health issues but the complainer did not have much patience with his psychological problems. “He struggled to accept this. “He was delivering a teddy bear for his daughter when he came across the St Valentine’s cards. He found it very painful.”

She added he had turned up at court and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity as he realised the error of his ways.

Sheriff Susan Sinclair said: “I believe your remorse is genuine. The act was born out of stupidity. You were not thinking properly.

“The appropriate disposal is a Community Payback Order with supervision for nine months.”