Millionaire property tycoon who stalked two lovers walks free
...after sheriff told he’s STILL dating one of his victims
A MILLIONAIRE property developer who launched a stalking campaign against two women he met online has walked free from court.
David Bryson began relationships with Heather Munro and 32-yearold Ciara Nelson after contacting them through Facebook and dating websites.
The 41-year-old handed out gifts including a horse and a Louis Vuitton handbag and purse to Miss Munro, and a £6,500 Rolex watch and a £20,000 Mini Cooper to Miss Nelson.
But police were called in after the relationships soured and Bryson, of Strathaven, Lanarkshire, embarked on a campaign of harassment.
He admitted stalking when he appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court but sentence was deferred for six months to allow him to seek therapy for his obsessive behaviour and the court was yesterday told he had ‘done well’ in that regard.
Yesterday, he was admonished after the court heard he had been of good behaviour and was now in a settled relationship with Miss Nelson.
Bryson, of Strathaven, Lanarkshire, began seeing Miss Munro in September 2015 after the breakdown of his marriage.
They dated for several months but Bryson – who employs 18 staff at his Burnhead building group – became increasingly possessive and abusive after Miss Munro tried to end the relationship. He branded her a ‘cow and a waste of time’ and threatened suicide.
He also told her ‘once you are in you can’t get out’ and that he ‘always got revenge’.
Miss Munro called police but Bryson then began seeing Miss Nelson, of Lanark, after meeting her via a dating site.
He gave her a Rolex watch, bought her a £35,000 engagement ring, a £20,000 Mini Cooper with £6,000 personalised number plates and also took her on a two-week luxury holiday to Tenerife. However, she later tried to end the relationship because he was constantly phoning her at work.
Yesterday, Bryson’s defence lawyer Gordon Jackson, QC, told Sheriff Marie Smart: ‘He seems to have taken the warning you have given him.
‘Over the piece he has spent eight weeks in custody over this. He formed a relationship with the second complainer and he is still in that relationship.’
Sheriff Smart said: ‘It’s clear that what happened was out of character and you were troubled at that time in your personal and working life.
‘I am satisfied this behaviour will not be repeated. You are admonished.’
Depute fiscal Wendy McAdam told an earlier hearing Bryson began plaguing Miss Munro after she tried to dump him.
She added: ‘Eventually she got the courage to contact police.’
Bryson breached his bail conditions by contacting Miss Nelson from Tenerife after his first court appearance. She told police, who waited at Glasgow Airport for him to return – but he flew to Dublin and took a ferry back to Scotland to evade arrest.
A tip-off led officers to Glasgow’s plush Dakota Hotel, where he had checked in under a false name.
Speaking previously about her ordeal Miss Munro, 46, said: ‘He put me through hell.
‘I had to receive counselling because of the emotional abuse he put me through. He should have been jailed.
‘He’s a danger to women and I believe he will do it again.’
‘He’s a danger... he will do it again’