A distraught mum called police after she was stalked by her Tesco delivery driver.
The Aberfeldy woman was “visibly upset” to learn supermarket worker Kenneth Massie had made an unscheduled visit to her home while she was out.
He turned up again later that afternoon to ask if she wanted him to fetch more shopping.
Perth Sheriff Court heard the 42-year-old had delivered groceries to the woman’s home two days earlier and offered to bring her shopping into her kitchen.
He then enquired about her young children and asked if she was still breast feeding.
Married Massie later told police that he was “just trying to be nice”.
He admitted engaging in a course of conduct which caused the customer fear or alarm between August 22 and 24, last year, by repeatedly asking her personal questions and attending uninvited at her home.
Massie was banned from seeing the woman for five years.
Trusted position
Sheriff William Wood told Massie: “Someone in your position as a delivery driver must have known that this sort of conduct was wholly inappropriate.
“Having identified that this woman was somewhat vulnerable, you must have known that your behaviour was likely to caused her anguish and fear, thinking that you might return for a more sinister purpose.
“I’m not suggesting that that was the case – I have to accept you had the best of intentions – but nevertheless this must have caused a considerable amount of fear or alarm, given that she phoned the police.
“She was also visibly upset when she spoke to her neighbour.”
The sheriff added: “I do recognise that this is far from being at the highest end of the scale but equally, someone in your position as a trusted driver is more culpable than a casual caller.”
Massie was fined £630.
The sheriff also issued a non-harassment order, banning him from going near the woman for five years.
Breast feeding query
Fiscal depute Andrew Harding said: “The complainer was at her home with children, waiting for her Tesco delivery at about 9.15am on August 22.
“The accused attended in the Tesco van.”
He struck up a conversation with the woman on her doorstep.
“The complainer began moving the shopping into her kitchen and the accused offered to help.
“She declined but he offered again several times.
“The accused asked the complainer if it was just her and the boys at home.
“She confirmed this. He then asked her if she was still breastfeeding.
“That made the complainer feel uncomfortable.”
Mr Harding said: “The complainer quickly ended the conversation as she took her shopping into the house and shut the door.”
‘Upset and distressed’
The court heard that two days later, Massie returned to the woman’s home at about 2.30pm.
“He rang the doorbell. A neighbour saw the accused and told him the complainer wasn’t in.
“The neighbour saw that the accused was standing with some packages on the doorstep.”
When asked by the neighbour if he needed help with the goods, Massie replied: “It’s okay, I’ve got half an hour to kill.
“I thought I’d just hang around in case she needs me to do something nice.”
Mr Harding said: “The accused asked the neighbour a couple of times if the complainer was in.”
Later, the neighbour spoke to the woman about the delivery driver at her door.
“She observed she was upset and distressed,” the fiscal depute said.
“That same afternoon, the accused went to her house and rang the door. This time, the complainer answered.
“She was shocked and alarmed because she was not expecting the accused to attend at her address.
“The accused asked the complainer if she was okay and if she wanted him to get her some shopping.
“She told him no and shut the door. She then contacted police.”
On August 27, Massie was questioned by officers.
He told them: “I found out the lady had separated from her husband and I wanted to see if she needed any extra shopping. I was just trying to be nice.”
Resigned from job
Solicitor David Holmes, defending, said: “He resigned from his job following this incident and he now works as a farm worker.
“He fully accepts the upset he caused to the complainer.”
Massie, whose address was listed on court papers as Rannoch Road, Perth, has since left the area, Mr Holmes said.
