Officer cleared of stalking his former lover

Junior colleague ended affair when her sergeant would not leave his wife

A police sergeant who was accused of stalking a junior officer when their “illicit” affair turned sour walked free from court yesterday.

Neil Todd and PC Marta Godos were “caught in a clinch” by a chief inspector at St Andrews Police Station in June 2014.

Both were at that point married to other people, but Miss Godos later divorced her husband and started a fullblown affair with Sergeant Todd, who was then her supervising officer.

But by June 2015 that relationship was falling apart because Todd was dragging his heels over leaving his wife.

That caused their affair to break down, with Miss Godos telling Todd it was over.

She told a trial at Dundee Sheriff Court that Todd then bombarded her with text messages and sent her unwanted emails – before turning up at her home uninvited and posting a note through her door leaving her “frightened” and “scared”.

Later the pair exchanged emails, read out to the court, in which Todd said: “I feel as if you have had your fun and discarded me. I hope you get what you want from life. I’m beginning to realise what your motives are.”

Miss Godos said: “Later I had returned from work after a night shift and went to bed.

“I was woken by a knock at the door and someone trying the door handle.

“I got up and could see it was him at the door. I was frightened – I went back to bed and contacted a friend because I didn’t know what to do, I was scared.

“He went away and came back 10 minutes later and posted a note.

“It said ‘I’m seriously not stalking you – I only wanted to talk things over – just a coffee and a chat’.”

Answering questions from Todd’s defence counsel, Gavin Anderson, Miss Godos admitted the pair had been caught by a chief inspector “in a clinch” – kissing in St Andrews police office in summer 2014.

Mr Anderson said: “The next year a time limit had been put on this, for him to end it with his wife by the end of June 2015?” Miss Godos replied: “Yes – he said he was going to do it.”

However, instead Todd took his wife to Spain for their silver wedding.

Mr Anderson said: “He returned on June 15 and on June 16 virtually the first thing he does is come round to your house and you had sex?” Miss Godos: “I can’t recall.” Mr Anderson: “Then on June 25 you send him an email saying you were finished?” Miss Godos: “Yes. I had enough of waiting.”

Todd, 47, whose address was given as care of Police Scotland’s Professional Standards Unit, denied a charge of stalking Miss Godos between May 1 and July 15 last year at addresses in Fife.

After Miss Godos had given her evidence depute fiscal Stewart Duncan accepted Todd’s not guilty plea to the charge.

Sheriff Linda Smith formally cleared him of the charge and told him the case against him was over.