An Oban woman accused of stalking a nurse sent a series of anonymous poison pen letters to her alleged victim’s bosses to “destroy” her career, a jury has heard.
The trial, at Oban Sheriff Court, was told Jessie Mary MacDonald used a printer and wore gloves in an effort to cover her tracks and “absolutely hated” the Lorn and Islands Hospital worker.
MacDonald, 60, denies a single charge of stalking, which alleges she repeatedly contacted the woman, sent offensive letters to her employer, contacted Police Scotland to report breaches of Covid regulations and monitored the woman’s home address and social media activity from September 1 2020 to July 31 2021.
‘No secret’ the colleagues didn’t like each other
The jury heard evidence from a fellow hospital worker, who said MacDonald “made no secret” that she did not like her alleged victim.
She said: “A colleague invited me for coffee and I met Jessie at her house.
“Jessie was angry, she was quite obsessive about [the complainer]. She just hated her, absolutely hated her — that came across.
“[MacDonald] was encouraging us to join in with this negative conversation.
“She said she was concerned about [the complainer] working with patients after a violent incident with an ex-partner.”
In the four or five times they met up, MacDonald’s alleged victim was “always” the topic of conversation.
Texts and photographs
The witness continued: “Jessie was hoping [the nurse] would be reprimanded in some way.”
Texts were read out to the court from the witness’s phone.
In one, it is claimed MacDonald wrote: “I’ve been watching all morning xx” regarding the complainer’s home.
In another, it is claimed she refers to a gentleman caller with whom the alleged victim was romantically involved.
MacDonald is alleged to have texted, “…his car in the street now xx”. Another read: “his car just come up from the port”.
Some of the messages had photographs of a car parked outside an Oban address.
Asked by fiscal depute Raeesa Ahmed why MacDonald sent texts to her about what was happening at the nurse’s home, the witness replied: “She said [the complainer] was breaching Covid regulations.
“She was angry that a man was coming to visit from far away and believed she shouldn’t get away with it.
“She said someone should report her, and she was going to report her to the police.”
Allegedly ‘covered her tracks’
The witness also described an occasion when she went for coffee with MacDonald.
She said: “When we were there, Jessie said she had sent a letter to the hospital.
“She said she had covered her tracks by using a printer to type the letter, and she got rid of it as she was paranoid.
“She said she used gloves to hold the letter.”
The witness told the court: “While I didn’t mention it to police at the time, [MacDonald] told me long after, that everything that happened had come from her.
“That all the trouble that had been caused was all from her.”
Asked why she didn’t tell the police, the witness said: “I don’t know, I don’t know why I didn’t. I believe I said I knew it was her, but I didn’t have any evidence.”
Defence agent Graeme Wright said: “Why would you miss out the most important piece of evidence that you are just telling the court about now?”
The witness replied: “When I was in the police station, I was shocked to be there, and I was not thinking straight.”
Colleague sent to buy a mobile phone for £30
Another colleague described her shame at being involved with the accused in a “bitch fest” regarding the alleged victim.
She said she was asked to buy a £30 mobile phone for MacDonald from Argos – but instead of using cash, she paid using her bank card.
When she told MacDonald of this, the accused is alleged to have said: “You silly bitch.”
The witness said: “I was very vulnerable at the time. I felt manipulated and was reeled in.
“It doesn’t excuse my involvement with the situation. The victim was a friend and a colleague.”
Witness says MacDonald sent letters to hospital
Asked if she knew who had sent malicious letters to the hospital, the witness named MacDonald.
She said: “At first I thought it was a joke.”
She alleged the accused told her she sent the anonymous letters.
She said: “The worrying thing was what she did — she hid the fact she sent the letters.
“She wore gloves to write the letters and she got rid of or destroyed her printer.
“I was concerned because I thought it was a joke until she did it.”
She continued: “[The complainer] knew about those letters and I admitted my part in, for want of a better word, the ‘bitch fest’. I am ashamed by it.
“It was dangerous — what Jessie was doing to destroy [the complainer].
“She wanted to destroy her career.”
The case was adjourned until June 9.
Sheriff Euan Cameron warned witnesses to be very careful not to speak about the case or their evidence until after the case had concluded.
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