A Portuguese man is to be deported to serve a three year jail sentence after he was sentenced for stalking a young woman he became infatuated with when he first saw her in a Pizza Hut.
Luis deBarros Silva had returned to his home country in 2013 after he was charged with the offence.
But he was extradited back to Britain in June this year after a two year legal battle and was remanded in custody until he pleaded guilty earlier this month.
A computer engineer, Silva was working in the Inverness area and staying in bed and breakfast accommodation when he met 19 year old Jade Coyne.
Sheriff David Sutherland also imposed a three year non harassment order on Silva to protect his victim.
The court was told that the 36 year old did not know Jade but saw her in the Pizza Hut on 1 December 2011.
Fiscal depute Ross Carvel said: “However, following this encounter, the pannel seems to have become infatuated with her. Over the course of the following months and years he made significant, if bizarre attempts to entice Jade Coyne into engaging into a relationship with him.
“Police gave him corrective advice and he was banned from entering the centre in August 2012.”
The court was told Silva managed to find out Jade’s mother’s name and gave her a letter for the teenager on Monday 1 April 2013 which indicated that he had been trying to find her for 16 months.
The following day Jade Coyne contacted the police.
On 3 April 2013, Police traced and detained Silva at his B & B in Inverness.
He was released on bail but continued to communicate with Jade, with one message threatening to “kick her ass” as he was “losing patience with her attitude.”
He also created several Facebook profiles in an attempt to contact her, frightening Jade so much that she fled Inverness and sought refuge with an aunt in another part of the United Kingdom, Mr Carvel added.
“But she received another message which she found most disturbing with two knives on it “The next time I will see her I will take care of it… piece by piece…but no need to worry I like doing puzzles.”
“Another stated ‘5000 pounds for Jade Coyne’s head! For anyone willing to take the job.’ A later posting made reference to ‘some guy’ being interested and that he would ‘do the job and get me evidence like pictures of it done.’
“Throughout this campaign Jade Coyne never made any contact in any manner, responded verbally or wrote to Silva.” Mr Carvel said.