Woman bombarded ex with hundreds of messages and calls

I’ll harm myself if you don’t respond, victim told

A woman living in America stalked a 23-year-old man by hounding him with hundreds of unwanted messages after their fling came to an end.

Deborah Pri n g l e, 4 8 , bombarded Barrhead man Jason Gillespie, 23, with text messages, emails and phone calls after he broke off their relationship.

Pringle, who was born in Scotland but moved to America and holds dual citizenship, contacted him 200 times in three days – and threatened to selfharm if he did not get back to her.

When he refused to answer her calls, she started phoning him from a withheld number.

She also turned up at his parents’ home in the early hours of the morning hoping to speak to him.

The details emerged when Pringle appeared in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court earlier this week for a pre-trial hearing and pleaded guilty to the single charge against her.

She admitted engaging in a course of conduct that caused Mr Gillespie fear or alarm by repeatedly sending him text messages and emails, phoning him and going to his parents’ home in Barrhead uninvited.

The charge stated the offence was aggravated as it involved the abuse of her ex-partner.

Procurator Fiscal Depute Pamela Flynn explained: “The complainer met the now accused online. They began conversing with each other.

“They both decided to meet up. A sexual relationship developed for both of them.

“The now accused and the complainer would spend periods of time with each other in hotel rooms within Glasgow.

“Both parties were content with the relationship the way it was.

“In June 2018, an argument began to develop between them and, as a result, Mr Gillespie wanted contact with the accused to end.

“In July, he began to receive a copious amount of messages, telephone calls and emails from the accused – there were over 200 between July 29 and July 31.

“The messages were just minutes apart and she was also stating in the messages that she would harm herself should he not respond.”

Defence solicitor Iain Bradley told Sheriff Tom McCartney: “Her age defies her youth - she is a youthful lady. Their relationship was limited to sexual contact between them – it was simply repeated sexual contact.

“She is Scottish but lived and worked in the United States. She has dual citizenship.”

Speaking in an American accent, Pringle told the judge that she was going back to America from the beginning of December until early January and would be unable to return to court during that time for sentencing.

Sheriff McCartney told her to be of good behaviour for three months and deferred sentence on her until February.

On the next occasion, he will also decide whether Pringle, who is banned from contacting Mr Gillespie under her bail conditions, should be made the subject of a Non- Harassment Order.