A “controlling” man who couldn’t accept his relationship was over bombarded his ex with more than 200 messages and even turned up at her home wearing nothing but boxer shorts and a bow tie.
Gareth Roberts met the Banff woman online but soon turned from charming to controlling and sent abusive messages to her via fake Facebook profiles.
The 41-year-old spent months trying to win her back and used the bogus social media accounts to keep tabs on her.
Fiscal depute Ellen Barr told Banff Sheriff Court that the relationship hit the rocks in January this year but things took a bizarre turn around Valentine’s Day.
Miss Barr said: “The accused arrived at the complainer’s home without invitation. He was wearing a pair of boxer shorts, a bow tie and carrying a gift bag from Ann Summers.
“He asked her when she was going to let him in and when they would get back together. She asked him to leave three times.
“The complainer has received over 200 messages and calls from the accused since they broke up.”
‘I love you so much’
Those messages began friendly but turned abusive and insulting before reverted back to declarations of love and apologies, the court heard.
In May, Roberts created no less than three Facebook profiles under fake names, both male and female, so that he could send messages to his ex.
In one he told her: “I love you so much, I hope you are okay. I’m sorry if I upset you.”
Other messages asked: “Is there any way to sort this? You will never see me again.”
Throughout, the woman repeatedly asked him to stop contacting her and blocked the messages, but he ignored all her pleas until police became involved.
Roberts admitted engaging in a course of behaviour which was abusive to his ex-partner and breaching a non-harassment order by sending her messages after being charged on May 5.
Defence agent Leonard Burkinshaw said Roberts now finally accepts it’s over and that his attempts to woo her back were misguided.
“At the time Mr Roberts was simply not accepting that the relationship was over and was doing everything he could to try to rekindle it,” Mr Burkinshaw said.
“It’s clear from the attempt around Valentine’s Day that he was doing everything in his power, thinking that was the right thing to do.
“It has gotten through to him now that she doesn’t want any contact.”
Sheriff Robert McDonald handed Roberts, of Langstane Place, Elgin, a community payback order consisting of supervision for one year and a non-harassment order for three years.
“I trust you understand now just how wrong you were to continue to try to contact this lady after she had told you enough was enough,” he told him.
He added supervision would be a “benefit to you yourself and to society”.
