Man scored words on to front of former partner’s home and returned to fill them in the following night

An Angus stalker who scored coded messages outside his estranged wife’s house has been warned he faces jail.

Grant Easson from Arbroath visited the woman’s home and left numeric messages where she would see them on waking – then returned to ink them in the next night.

The 42-year-old ex-soldier appeared from custody at Forfar Sheriff Court and admitted a charge of statutory stalking on summary complaint, placing Ashleigh Easson in fear or alarm at her Dishlandtown Street home.

Depute fiscal Kirsten Thomson told the court the accused was caught bluefingered when visited by police.

“The complainer is the wife of the accused, they are no longer in a relationship but are still married,” she said.

“On July 21 overnight at Mrs Easson’s house, she was at home and nothing was untoward.

“When she woke the next morning she looked outside and saw the numbers three, eight, one scratched into the front of the property.”

The woman then looked out to her back door and saw the same numbers scratched beside a bench, next to the word “seat”.

She explained the numeric reference was one Easson often used, meaning “three words, eight letters, one meaning: I love you”.

When she woke up the next day, Mrs Easson saw the existing marks filled in with dark ink.

After reporting the incident, police officers went to interview Easson, and “they noticed his right hand fingertips had dried ink on all five fingers”.

Solicitor Billy Rennie said his client, who had been in the Army for 10 years, had just been released from jail where he had a “glimmer of hope” of seeing his family again.

He added: “In relation to his record it had slowed down considerably, the troubles seem to arise following the separation from his partner.

“Having been liberated on the 21st of July … he was then told by his mother he would not see his children and the divorce papers would be coming through imminently.

“He accepts it would have caused alarm. He is very reflective on this matter.”

Deferring sentence to September 15 for reports, Sheriff Gregor Murray told Easson: “I warn you, at the moment, I can’t see any alternative to a custodial sentence but I’m willing to look into the possibility of a community-based sentence.”

Easson, of Weaver’s Close, admitted engaging in a course of conduct that caused Ashleigh Easson fear or alarm, in that he scratched coded messages on to the stone floor and paving outside her doorstep, and returned to ink them in between July 21 and 23 this year. riwatt@thecourier.co.uk

When she woke the next morning she looked outside and sawthe numbers three, eight, one scratched into the front of the property. KIRSTEN THOMSON DEPUTE FISCAL