A jealous Moray man has admitted harassing his ex-girlfriend by repeatedly calling to find out where she was and who she was with.
Craig Branson, from Keith, pestered the woman for more than two weeks to keep tabs on her movements – even ordering her to send him photographs to prove she was not lying.
Yesterday the 27-year-old was sentenced at Elgin Sheriff Court after admitting engaging in a course of conduct that caused fear or alarm.
Sheriff Gary Aitken said: “There is no doubt this behaviour was utterly unacceptable.”
Branson repeatedly called and texted his former partner, who he had been in a relationship with for five years, between June 11 and 26.
Fiscal depute Rowena Carlton described the self-employed businessman’s actions as leaving the woman feeling “degraded”.
She said: “On the first occasion the woman received a number of calls from the accused, which she initially ignored but eventually answered due to the volume of them.
“The accused demanded to know where she was and who she was with. He was angry, was swearing and demanded to speak to who she was with to prove she was not lying.”
Miss Carlton also described two further occasions when Branson called his ex-girlfriend to check up on her whereabouts.
His solicitor Ben Thom said his client’s behaviour had been sparked by “jealously” after the couple split up in May.
He said: “Clearly this conduct is the product of a breakdown of the relationship. Mr Branson didn’t take the breakdown well.
“Initially he had hoped there may be a prospect of reconciliation but he now accepts that isn’t going to happen.”
Branson, of Sauchwells Farm, near Keith, was sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid work. A two-year non-harrassment order to prevent him contacting the woman was also granted.
