A Kirkcaldy man is facing jail for a “particularly nasty” campaign of abuse against his ex-partner which continued for more than two years after the relationship ended.
Stewart Urquhart turned up at his former girlfriend’s home uninvited, accused her of cheating and sent her chilling emails with images of weapons and the message: “Tell them I will be ready.”
Procurator fiscal depute Laura McManus told the court that on one occasion in July 2020 – about 18-months after the couple separated – the woman arrived home to find Urquhart outside.
The fiscal depute said: “He called her ‘disgusting’ and said she had been wearing underwear he bought for her while with other men”.
Urquhart, of Birch Tree Place, Thornton, punched a wall when she refused him access to her phone, Ms McManus said.
Photos of weaponry
The court heard Urquhart also threatened to self-harm and contacted the woman’s family asking them to persuade her to reconcile with him.
He also repeatedly phoned her and told her he knew her whereabouts.
When she formed a new relationship, he accused repeatedly phoned her.
On another occasion, after the woman’s new partner attempted to contact Urquhart, he sent an email to her containing images of an automatic rifle, knuckle duster, a sword and a baton.
The fiscal said the email text read: “Tell them I will be ready”.
Coercive control
The court heard Urquhart also regularly threatened to stop making insurance payments for a car she was using.
Police were later provided with screenshots that showed he had sent the texts, as well as three images of him naked.
In the messages he accused her of getting her lips and hair done for a new man.
Urquhart pled guilty to a charge of engaging in a course of abusive behaviour towards his former partner, between April 2019 and August 2021.
He also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards her between May 2013 and March 2019.
The offending took place at addresses in Glenrothes.
Sheriff Grant McCulloch told Urquhart: “This is a particularly nasty form of domestic abuse, coercive control, and in the circumstances the court has to be considering an appropriate sentence which will include custody”.
The sheriff deferred sentence until April 5 for the production of background reports and Urquhart was released on bail.
Defence lawyer Dewar Spence said Urquhart has previous convictions, including a custodial sentence “some time ago.”
The solicitor said his client has fully complied with bail throughout the case.
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