Banker denies stalking ex-wife

Trial hears of violent incident when accused kicked in door of bathroom

A top banking executive has gone on trial for a string of alleged offences including violently attacking his estranged wife, stalking her and assaulting a child.

Martin King, 51, a high-flyer at the Royal Bank of Scotland, denies the accusations made by his former wife, who is also a senior executive at the bank.

In her evidence given from behind a screen, Sally Featherstone, the RBS customer experience director, depicted her ex-husband as a violent control freak, who had anger management issues.

She said she felt “intimidated and scared” when, after blocking his emails, he began to use new addresses to send more messages. She then made allegations about violent incidents from previous years.

She said on one occasion King kicked in the door of their bathroom when she was inside.

Ms Featherstone told the court she had contacted the new girlfriend of her former husband by text. She passed on information from colleagues about other women King was allegedly seeing and told her: “You’re welcome to him.”

Defence solicitor Peter Mullin put it to the witness that the motivation behind her evidence was the bitter divorce the couple went through and asked her: “Are you just making this up as you go along?” Mrs Featherston denied this. King, of Culross, Fife, denies the six charges against him.

These include allegations of assaulting a young boy by seizing him and dragging him out of a vehicle and striking him on the body.

The alleged incidents are said to have taken place at various locations in Fife.

The trial at Dunfermline Sheriff Court was adjourned until Thursday.