A man bombarded his ex-partner with phone calls and social media messages, forcing her to barricade herself in a bedroom when he turned up uninvited.
Ricky Forrester repeatedly banged on the door and windows and shouted his former partner’s name as she hid inside and called police.
And despite being arrested over that incident, a month later the 28-year-old began to repeatedly phone her from a withheld number.
When she ignored the calls he took to email, Facebook, Instagram and even TikTok to send her derogatory messages, branding her “scum” and a “fat mess”.
Fiscal depute Lewis Devoy told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the couple had been in a relationship for around two years but separated in 2021.
The woman was at home during the afternoon of February 21 2022 when she heard a “loud banging noise” and Forrester shouting her name.
There was a “continuous sound of banging on windows and doors”.
Mr Devoy said: “The complainer has contacted the police at that point and barricaded herself within a bedroom at the property.
“The banging and shouting continued for a period of time.”
Forrester was seen leaving briefly before returning and continuing his behaviour.
Police officers then arrived and found him still outside the address. He was arrested and, in an interview, said he had attended to retrieve personal items from the property.
Just over a month later, on March 28, the woman began to receive phone calls from a withheld number over the course of the afternoon, evening and into the following morning.
She did not answer the calls.
She also received messages on social media sites including TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.
‘Prison doesn’t appear to have addressed the underlying issues’
The woman was under the impression the messages were from Forrester.
In some of the messages, Forrester described his ex-partner as “fake” and a “fat mess”.
He also referred to her as “scum”.
An email also stated: “Phone me rapid. I’m outside your gaff.”
Mr Devoy told the court: “Due to the nature and repetitiveness of the messages, the complainer contacted the police.”
The fiscal said the woman was supportive of a non-harassment order being imposed and had “no intention of resuming the relationship”.
Forrester pled guilty to charges of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, and of making phone calls and sending messages that were grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character.
Defence agent Debbie Ginniver said her client’s conduct was “clearly entirely unacceptable”.
Regarding the first incident, she said Forrester had arranged to collect belongings from the woman’s house but that they had had an “argument while en route”.
The solicitor explained Forrester’s ex then told him not to attend and that he “should have listened but instead continued and became frustrated when she didn’t answer the door”.
Regarding the second incident, Ms Ginniver said: “At that time they were not supposed to be having contact with each other.
“She was persistently messaging him. He wasn’t handling that particularly well.
“He lashed out and acted in the manner libelled. He does have difficulty controlling his emotions.”
‘You’re being given an opportunity here. Don’t let yourself down’
Sheriff Lesley Johnston told Forrester, of Porthill Court, Aberdeen: “You’ve got a long list of previous convictions and there’s a pattern emerging here isn’t there, particularly with regard to domestic offences.
“Prison doesn’t appear to have addressed the underlying issues of your behaviour.
“In my view, you’re someone who is crying out for supervision and attendance at the Caledonian programme you’ve been given.
“I’m of the view we need a change of approach here because I don’t think another short period in custody would do anything to address your offending behaviour.”
Instead, Sheriff Johnston deferred sentence for six weeks for Forrester to make progress with a previously imposed community payback order.
She told him: “I want you to attend your supervision and unpaid work, and in particular I want to see that you’re engaging in the Caledonian programme.
“You’re being given an opportunity here. Don’t let yourself down.”
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