A firefighter found guilty of stalking her ex-husband will now face disciplinary proceedings at work.
Katie Purse was yesterday found guilty harassing her estranged husband Alan Purse over a 10-month period after their marriage broke down.
The 32-year-old also admitted doing the same to Lorraine Hawkins, his new girlfriend, by calling her at work repeatedly.
Purse has been on trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, where recordings Mr Purse made of the conversations were played.
During them, Purse is heard threatening to reduce his access to their three children and force him to pay her more money every month.
At one point, he asked her: “Do you admit to threatening and blackmailing me?”
She replied: “Yes, I admit that.”
She claimed the recordings were taken out of context and Mr Purse – who is also a firefighter – had pushed her buttons to get a reaction.
But yesterday fiscal depute Karen Dow put to Purse: “You wanted control, you wanted to have your cake and eat it and have your puppy on a leash.
Finding her guilty, Sheriff Charlotte Coutts said: “I accept that Mr Purse suffered from fear and alarm.
“In the calls she said he did not deserve to be happy and did not deserve to be left alone.
“There were threats to take his kids away from him.
“I do not accept that this was set up, she was behaving as she was prone to do.”
Last night, David Rout, local senior officer for Aberdeenshire and Moray at the fire service, confirmed action would be taken against Purse.
He said: “The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is aware that Katie Purse was found guilty of stalking related offences following a trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
“This type of behaviour is a very clear breach of our code of conduct and we will now enact our full and thorough disciplinary procedures in this matter.
“Our service condemns behaviours which may appear innocent to others, but can cause fear and alarm or immense suffering to victims.”
Purse, of Woodside Terrace in Udny Station, will return to court later this month to be sentenced.
