A teacher accused of stalking offences against a neighbour has been cleared.
Mark Dycher, 64, had denied engaging in a course of conduct intended to cause fear and alarm against Natasha Brown at a property in Newport-on-Tay between June 2021 and February 2022.
Unusually, the complainer gave evidence at points during the trial via video link from their home address, in a move granted approval by the court at an earlier hearing.
Dycher, of Broughty Ferry, was accused of recording his neighbours on his mobile phone, shouting, swearing and uttering offensive remarks, repeatedly playing loud music, striking the floor of his property and presenting a dead cat to a child.
No case to answer
At the conclusion of the Crown case, Sheriff MP Anderson agreed with the defence submission there was no case to answer because the Crown could not prove when the alleged incidents had taken place or if they happened as described on the complaint.
He told Dundee Sheriff Court: “There was no evidence put before me as to when these events occurred.
“The libel alleges the incidents took place between June 1 2021 and February 6 2022 but I could not find any reference of these dates in the Crown’s evidence.
“There is nothing in the evidence to explain to myself when these particular events might have occurred.
“It is incumbent on the Crown to prove this.
“In evidence, unfortunately Natasha Brown said she was ‘rubbish’ at dates.
“Therefore, anything she said would have been unreliable to fix any timescale on what she was saying.
“I uphold the submission there was no case to answer.”
Dycher was found not guilty.
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