A couple who tried to abduct their daughter’s former boyfriend were told by a sheriff their actions were ‘incredibly stupid’.
Angela and Gary Paterson, who were described as “raging angry” during the stand-off, tried to force the teenager into the back of their waiting car.
During the dramatic incident on Low Shore, Macduff on November 12, 2019, the victim was heard shouting for help – and at one point managed to flee to a nearby pub.
The 19-year-old had been in a relationship with their daughter but they had split up a couple of months before the abduction attempt.
Angela, 46, and Gary Paterson, 57, appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted attempting to abduct the man by seizing hold of him, dragging him towards the car and attempting to force him to enter said car while shouting and demanding that he enter said car.
Attempted abduction victim screamed for help
Fiscal depute Katy Begg told the court the incident happened at the seafront with the victim walking along the street with a bloodied lip after being injured by another person.
The 19-year-old was heading to a pub in Macduff when the couple stopped their car next to him and attempted to push him inside the vehicle.
Ms Begg said: “Once the complainer reached the locus a car pulled up near to him. Both accused got out of the car, seized hold of him and tried to physically force him into the car.
“The complainer started screaming ‘help’ as loudly as he could, while the accused shouted at him demanding he get into the car.
“Whilst a witness was driving nearby, she heard the complainer screaming in a very high-pitched voice, repeatedly calling out ‘help’. The witness parked and got out of her car and walked over to investigate. She saw the private number plate of the car and she knew who owned it.
“It had its lights on and the engine was running. As she neared the scene she saw the complainer struggling with the accused who were trying to force into the rear passenger seat of the car.
“From her vantage point, a few metres away, it was clear to this witness, who now recognised the accused, that they were ‘raging angry’ with Angela Paterson’s face ‘red with rage.’
“They were both shouting ‘get in the car’. As they were trying to push the complainer into the car, the complainer was bracing himself against the outside of the car and clearly did not want to get in. They were struggling ‘very fiercely’.
“The witness moved closer and as she did so the accused saw her and immediately eased off a little, which allowed the complainer to escape from them and run past her still screaming for help as he did so.
“Mrs Paterson ran off in the same direction as the complainer for a short distance before walking back towards the car. The witness asked the accused ‘what is going on?’
“In response, Mrs Paterson started talking about her daughter, saying ‘he’s tried to get in her front door’ and ‘he’s tried to attack her.’
‘There will be a murder’
Miss Begg went on to say: “The witness replied by saying ‘I thought there was a murder going’ to which Angela replied ‘there will be a murder’ and then ‘oh, I shouldn’t have said that.’
“The complainer had run into a nearby pub. A barmaid saw that he looked very scared and was shaking.
“He said ‘please get me off the street’ before going to the toilets. Moments later Mrs Paterson entered and asked the barmaid if she had seen the complainer.
“Due to Mrs Paterson grinding her teeth and having a glazed expression, the barmaid thought she was under the influence of something.
“The barmaid said she had not seen the complainer and Angela Paterson left. The barmaid then called the police.”
Ms Begg said the police traced the couple to their home in Macduff two days after the incident.
‘He was very concerned about his daughter’
Angela Paterson’s defence agent Leonard Burkinshaw said she had decided to intervene on her daughter’s behalf.
He said: “The complainer had been in a relationship with the accused’s daughter. It was quite a toxic relationship.
“The relationship was coming to an end when the complainer was repeatedly visiting their daughter’s property.
“On this particular occasion Mrs Paterson had been at the property and a neighbour told her the complainer had been banging on the door.
“She felt her daughter was being led astray and had decided to confront the complainer.”
Gary Paterson’s defence agent Stuart Flowerdew said: “This was very much out of character. He was very concerned about his daughter.”
‘An incredibly stupid thing to do’
Sheriff Philip Mann said the duo’s actions were “incredibly stupid” and they risked being sent to jail as a result.
He told the pair, of Bath Street, Macduff: “I don’t know what you thought you were doing but it was an incredibly stupid thing to do.
“I really don’t understand what you thought you were doing as our police force don’t need assistance from yourselves.
“You put at risk your own liberty.
“I understand you were concerned for the welfare of your daughter but there’s only so much you can do as parents.”
Sheriff Mann placed Angela Paterson on a nine-month supervision order and fined Gary Paterson £450.
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