Man is fined for not leaving ex alone

A 12-month Non-Harassment Order has been imposed on a man who pestered his former partner for almost seven weeks after their relationship ended.

Forty-seven-year-old Piotr Kowiarz, of Nimmo Place, Perth, was also fined £1000 after he twice turned up at a city centre car park, where she parked her vehicle, and then rang the buzzer at her home.

A solicitor said he still had belongings at her flat, including his father’s watch, which was of “sentimental value”to him.

The accused admitted that between March 1 and April 18 this year, at the Perth and Kinross Council car park in Canal Street and at a flat in St John’s Place - he engaged in a course of conduct which caused Julita Pankiewicz fear or alarm after being told she no longer wanted any contact from him and didn’t want to be in a relationship with him.

Depute fiscal Alan Morrison said they had been together since June, 2015, but that ended in February of this year.

“At that time she told the accused to move out of the property they shared - and he did that.”

At the beginning of March, however, she saw that the accused was waiting for her at the car park where she parked her car.

“She was unaware why he was there and told him to leave, which he did.”

On April 16, she was in her flat when the buzzer sounded but when it was answered there was no reply from the person.

She looked out into the street and saw the accused who walked away.

On April 18, she was again going to the car park and the accused was again waiting for her there.

He tried to speak to her but she got into her car, closed the door and sounded the horn.

“This caused the accused to back off,”added the fiscal.

“She thereafter contacted the police.”

When he was traced, cautioned and charged, he replied:“I don’t agree.”

Ms Pankiewicz said she was “frightened,”particularly on the second occasion when the accused spoke to her at the car park.

Solicitor Pauline Cullerton said: “They had been together just short of three years and he found the break-up of the relationship very difficult to deal with.

“The termination came very suddenly.”

There was no opposition to the Non-Harassment Order but the watch still hadn’t been returned.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said that although the accused’s behaviour “constitutes a serious offence,”it was at the“lower end”of the scale.

Kowiarz has been banned from approaching or contacting his former partner for the next year and was told if the watch was still a “live issue,”he should deal with that through a solicitor.