Trucker used fake names to stalk ex online

Made threats and went to her work

A lorry driver contacted his ex on a dating website using a fake profile.

He also sent her text messages claiming to be another man and showed up uninvited at her work.

Scott Adams (49) admitted engaging in a course of conduct which caused the woman fear or alarm between December 1 and March 24.

And he was hit with unpaid work when he appeared in the dock at Stirling Sheriff Court to face punishment on Wednesday morning.

The offences took place at Finglas Gardens, Callander, and at Margaret’s Hair Salon in the town.

The court heard the couple became involved in a relationship in 2012 and moved in together shortly afterwards.

Fiscal depute Lindsey Brooks explained that this came to an end in 2016 and the woman started a new relationship after meeting someone on a dating website.

In December last year she received a text message from Adams and they struck up a conversation. She revealed that she was no longer with her new man.

At this time she still had her profile on the dating website and was receiving messages from men.

Among them was a Ziggy Hussein, who was Adams using a fake name. He asked her what kind of flowers she likes.

In another incident he showed up at her place of work, a day after sending her a Valentine’s card.

Another woman was in the hair salon at the time and she noticed a change in the victim’s demeanour once Adams arrived.

He left but returned a short time later with a bag of chips and sat down. He was told to sit further away. He offered the women some chips and he was ignored but continued talking.

After leaving he was seen driving past in his lorry and tooting the horn.

Ms Brooks added that Adams then began to make threats towards the woman over the phone.

He said he would report her for something which allegedly happened years before and which he said she would get in trouble for.

He then phoned her and said: “I’ve got a sting in the tail for you. I’m going to hurt you but not in a physical way.”

On March 7 she received a text from someone claiming to be another ex-partner.

In the message he said that he had split from his wife but had been seeing a prostitute, who was a drug user, and was going to get a health check. He suggested that she do the same.

She tried phoning the number back but it rang out.

It again emerged that this was Adams pretending to be somebody else.

When spoken to by police about this he said he had sent the message to see if she would tell him about it.

The charge alleges that Adams, of Clydeview, Dunoon, also made contact with members of the victim’s family.

Defence solicitor Stephen Maguire said: “The relationship had broken down and he tells me there was an overlap between their relationship and her newer one. The circumstances troubled him.

“He accepts that at certain times he has been drinking to excess. In February and March he was drinking heavily.

“He did feel hurt that the relationship had ended but it wasn’t entirely a one-way street in terms of the contact between them.”

Mr Maguire added: “He has appreciated that he exercised very poor judgement.

“He says he has now moved on and is in a new relationship.

“There was frustration and anger in his actions but he wants now to move forward rather than back.”

Sheriff Alison McKay told Adams: “I absolutely appreciate that feelings can run high when a relationship breaks down but you are a 49-year-old and you know that’s not the way to conduct yourself.”

He was ordered to do 160 hours of unpaid work in nine months and a non-harrassment order was imposed, which bans him from approaching, contacting or communicating with the victim.

I’ve got a sting in the tail for you. I’m going to hurt you but not in a physical way.