Man who sent ‘disgusting’ messages to his ex avoids jail

A young Angus man has avoided going behind bars for sending a string of “disgusting” messages to his ex-partner, including threatening to kill her and set her house on fire.

Although apologetic when he came to his senses the morning after his drink-filled bombardment, Rory Mitchell was slammed by a sheriff who said his record of domestic offending had taken the 23-year-old to the brink of going behind bars.

Mitchell, of Christies Lane, Montrose, appeared for sentencing before Sheriff Jillian Martin-brown at Forfar having previously admitted sending abusive messages of a grossly offensive, indecent or menacing nature to his ex.

The court heard the pair had been in a relationship for around a year, but it ended a few months before the offence took place.

Mitchell had met his former partner in Montrose, but she told him to go away and he headed back to the pub, where he began to send messages to the woman and her sister.

Defence solicitor Nick Markowski said: “The messages are disgusting and he accepted his guilt from the outset.

“He will attempt to build bridges but has a fair bit of work to do in that regard.”

“Although they are offensive messages, there wasn’t any suggestion that he was going to carry them out – this was something fuelled by alcohol and emotional upset.”

Sheriff Martin-brown told Mitchell: “It’s clear from the content of the messages that you intended to place the complainer in fear for her life, threatening to kill her.”

Mitchell was placed on a two-year community payback order.