Michael Mackie banned from contacting ex-partner for three years

Michael Mackie, of Perth, admitted to continually contacting the woman on several occasions, despite being asked not to after the couple had split up last year.

Prosecutor Klaudia Wasilewska told Edinburgh Sheriff Court that Mackie and the woman began seeing each other in May last year and the couple broke up following “a breakdown in the relationship” in August that year.

Ms Wasilewska said that Mackie, 32, began contacting the woman on “a number of occasions” by phone and she was eventually forced to block his number and block him from her social media accounts.

She told Mackie that all contact towards her was unwanted but she continued to receive calls at “various times of the day and night” to her address in Wallyford.

Mackie then made contact with the woman’s new partner and her sister via social media in a bid to speak to her but his harassing behaviour was eventually reported to the police.

The fiscal depute said: “Essentially, it was repeatedly contacting the complainer and causing her fear and alarm on several occasions.”

'Upset' at break-up

Lawyer Mark Hutchison, representing Mackie, said that his unemployed client was “upset at the break-up” and the repeated contact was due to him “essentially wanting her back”.

Mr Hutchison said that Mackie had “found it difficult to come to terms” with the relationship ending but now knew there was “no prospect of resuming the relationship” as the woman had a new partner.

Sheriff Kenneth Campbell KC said that he was satisfied he could deal with the case on the day without calling for social work reports and fined Mackie £470.

The sheriff also imposed a non-harassment order banning Mackie from having any contract with the woman for the next three years.

Mackie pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by repeatedly contacting the woman and her friends and family when requested not to do so between August 6 and September 14 last year.