Man sent abusive messages to former partner

A Perth man bombarded his ex-partner with a series of vile and abusive messages on social media after they split up.

Twenty-seven-year-old Kevan Sherriffs also phoned her, demanding that she pay benefit money into his bank account.

And he then called her again a short time later complaining that the cash had not turned up.

He was spared a jail term when he appeared for sentence at Perth Sheriff Court.

Instead, he had a community payback order imposed.

He will be supervised for two years and will have to take part in the 24-month Caledonian Programme, set up to help men convicted of domestic abuse.

A conduct requirement, very similar in terms to a non-harassment order, was also included as part of the order.

Sherriffs, of Walker Court, Canal Street, has been prohibited from approaching or contacting his former partner, without the prior approval of his supervising officer, for the next two years.

He admitted that between October 2 and 12, 2020, at his home, he engaged in an abusive course of conduct by repeatedly sending messages and making telephone calls, during which he shouted and acted in an aggressive manner.

Depute fiscal Sarah Wilkinson told the court that the pair had been in an“on-off relationship”for seven years and had split up last September.

An unspecified number of the messages were received over a period of several hours in which he called her“a vile f***er”and told her she was“deluded.”

On Monday, October 1, shortly before 1.15pm, he called her about benefit cash being paid.

“At 1.20pm, he called her again, asking why the money hadn’t reached his bank account,”stated the fiscal.

“He was angry and again started shouting and was aggressive.”

When the accused was shown screen shots of the messages he had sent, he explained he had been “angry and frustrated.”

Solicitor Paul Ralph said: “Regardless of any frustration over the benefits, you can’t get away from his manner.”

Imposing the orders, Sheriff Lindsay Foulis told Sherriffs: “You know you can’t express yourself in this manner, especially in relation to people with whom you have or have had a relationship.

“You simply can’t communicate in an abusive manner - and you have form for it.

“You have to appreciate, with regard to your record, if you behave in this manner, one clear option is that your liberty is taken away from you.”

But he said he was prepared to impose a community-based disposal as a direct alternative to prison.