A WALLYFORD man has been told he cannot contact his ex-partner for the next three years after he breached a previously imposed non-harassment order.

Dean Girdwood, 35, was told by a sheriff that the breach was “a serious offence” and he was “fortunate” not to be sent to prison as he “appears to have turned a corner” in his life.

Sheriff Derek O’Carroll was told during a court hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last week that Girdwood was now in a new relationship and was due to be married in the near future.

Lawyer David Storrie, representing Girdwood, told the court that his client, of Affleck Rise, had been attending sessions with the domestic abuse organisation Caledonian Men’s Programme as part of a previous sentence.

Mr Storrie said that Girdwood had recently been attending the group on a voluntary basis since his sentence expired and was “keen” to continue with the engagement.

Girdwood had the non-harassment order imposed on him at the Capital court on December 3, 2021, and was ordered not to have any contact with his ex-partner.

But he went on to breach the order by attending at the woman’s Edinburgh home and making repeated phone calls to her on various occasions between December 17 and 24, 2021.

Last week, Sheriff O’Carroll placed Girdwood on a two-year supervision order and said he must complete 120 hours of unpaid work as punishment.

The sheriff also imposed a new three-year non-harassment order on Girdwood banning him from having any contact with the woman in any way.