Ayrshire Post

Stalker’s evil campaign

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A former nursing home employee was driven to the point of suicide during a threemonth stalking campaign at the hands of her former partner, writes Paul Behan.

Jamie Linwood turned up at the care home in Ayr and “bombarded” Jamie Lee McMillan with text messages- and even entered her bedroom at her house one night uninvited to question her about her nightwear.

A Sheriff described the campaign as “three months of unremittin­g terror.”

Long distance lorry driver Linwood, aged 26, from Watson Terrace, Drongan, appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court on Tuesday, September 10.

He admitted engaging in conduct which caused his ex- partner fear or alarm by repeatedly making calls to her, shouting, swearing, uttering abusive remarks, sending her text messages and attending her home address and her place or work.

The offences took place between May 1 2018 and August 31 2018, both dates inclusive, at an address in Drongan and at Rozelle Nursing Home.

The campaign got so bad the victim was forced to quit her job. She also attempted suicide by overdose.

Linwood, the court was told, was a long distance lorry driver who would phone his partner many times during the day which was “nothing unusual.”

But it got to the stage where he would “bombard” her with text messages.

Jo Cunningham, the fiscal depute said: “It was making her ill but the accused’s text messages continued and each time she answered the telephone the accused became aggressive.”

The victim was eventually hospitalis­ed due to the ongoing behaviour from Linwood.

Mrs Cunningham said: “She tried to take her own life by taking an overdose.

“She changed her number several times but each time the accused found out what it was.”

Mrs Cunningham said: “She worked at Rozelle and he tended to make excuses as to why he was there.

“Colleagues would see the accused sitting outside in his car, it got so bad she had no option but to resign.”

The court was told how the woman met a new partner but Linwood wowed to “kill him.”

Eventually the complainer contacted police to report everything.

Defence solicitor Steven Maxwell said: “He accepts that jealousy has been the main emotion behind this.”

Sheriff Desmond Leslie told Linwood: “This was three months of unremittin­g terror for this woman.”

Linwood was sentenced to 18 months supervisio­n and 150 hours of unpaid work in the community, to be completed within six months.

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