A man has been branded a “danger to the public” after staring at, following and trying to get into the cars of random women in Aberdeen.
Szczepan Rekas targeted complete strangers on various streets around Aberdeen, even following one woman home and trying to force his way inside her house.
On another frightening occasion, two women got into their car and found Rekas sitting in the back seat.
The 43-year-old admitted a total of nine separate charges over his menacing behaviour around the Old Aberdeen and Tillydrone area of the city throughout November last year.
Rekas’ sinister behaviour was considered so “alarming” that Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told it wouldn’t be safe to release him while background reports are being prepared.
Series of creepy incidents
The first offence occurred on Erskine Street when Rekas approached his first victim on two occasions, opening the door of her car on November 8 and trying to do the same on November 22.
On November 15 and 21, Rekas approached another woman on Bedford Road, repeatedly attempting to open her car door and loitering and staring at her.
Rekas targeted a third woman on November 19, staring at her and following her on Bedford Road.
Two days later, Rekas frightened two women on Bedford Road when they entered a vehicle and found him sitting in the back seat.
‘Significant risk of you committing further offences’
On hearing this charge read out to him, Rekas said he “thought it was a taxi”, but admitted his guilt.
Also on November 21, Rekas started at and closely followed a woman who was walking home on Bedford Road and Sunnyside Road.
On a further occasion on the same day, he loitered outside the woman’s address, walked towards a vehicle she was sitting in and attempted to open a rear door.
On two occasions on November 22, Rekas stared at and walked towards yet another woman on The Chanonry and Dunbar Street.
Also on November 22, Rekas approached a woman on Erskine Street, opened the door of the car she was in and tried to get inside.
He then followed her home and tried to push open her front door, which she managed to force closed.
On the same day, on Bedford Road, Rekas targeted a man, approaching him, attempting to enter his car and then loitered in the area and tried the car door again after the driver had gotten out and locked it.
And finally, on November 23, Erskine stared at another woman on Erskine Street.
‘Very alarming course of conduct’
In total, Rekas admitted nine charges of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, involving nine women and one man.
Defence agent Charlie Benzies asked for sentence to be deferred for reports.
He added: “I’m instructed to seek bail.”
Fiscal depute Carol Gammie opposed the motion and said: “The accused is no longer entitled to the presumption of innocence.
“He demonstrates a pattern of alarming conduct, primarily against females who were unknown to him.
“That kind of conduct is suggestive of Mr Rekas posing a danger to the public. Until reports are called for, a measure of that danger can’t be made.”
Sheriff Ian Wallace agreed to defer the case for reports and opted to remand Rekas, a prisoner of HGM Grampian, in custody.
He described the offences as a “very alarming course of conduct”, adding: “I’m satisfied that if you are released on bail there is a significant risk of you committing further offences.”
Rekas will be sentenced next month.
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