A lecturer from Fife who was in a open relationship with two women has been banned from contacting them for five years.
Adam Wilson, 41, left his victims traumatised after conducting a campaign of controlling behaviour.
Wilson, of Lochgelly told them he would refuse to communicate with them and leave them feeling isolated if they did not behave as he told them.
He shouted and swore at one and left her feeling physically intimidated by him.
The ordeal only ended when the women, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told police they had suffered fear, alarm and psychological harm at his hands.
Contact ban
Wilson went on trial at Lanark Sheriff Court where he denied the claims against him.
However, he was convicted of engaging in abusive behaviour towards both women between April 2019 and November 2020.
He was also convicted of threatening behaviour against one of his victims between 2011 and 2019.
Depute fiscal Lewis Devoy told the court: “Both complainers are supportive of non-harassment orders for as long as is deemed appropriate.”
Sheriff Adrian Cottam ordered him to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work and banned him from contacting either woman.
Lost job and moved away
Father-of-one Wilson lost his role as a senior lecturer over the case and has now turned to voluntary work.
Matthew McGovern, defending, said: “The impact of this conviction has had a huge impact on him.
“He was employed as a senior lecturer but his career is now essentially over and he has carried out voluntary work in the meantime since his employment was terminated.
“He has removed himself from the local area and has reflected on the behaviour which brought him before this court.
“It is a serious matter and that of course has to be marked.”
Prison was considered
The court heard Wilson ‘did not recognise’ the harm he had caused and did not accept the guilty verdicts against him.
Sheriff Cottam said : “You must realise the unhealthy nature of some of the events we heard about.
“You are clearly an intelligent man and it is sad that it says in the social work report that you minimised your conduct, blamed the complainers and engaged in a high level of conscious decision making.
“The lack of understanding or empathy suggests there is a risk of repetition from you and it did cross my mind that a prison sentence would be the only way to deal with this but there are a number of factors I have to take into account, including the presumption against short sentences such as the maximum 12 months available to me in this case.”
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