A creepy ex-boyfriend who sneaked into his ex-partner’s home and stood at her bedside watching her sleep has been placed under supervision.
The startled woman had woken to see sinister Aaron Nicol standing over her after he let himself into her family home in the dead of night.
He entered the house several times after refusing to hand back keys.
On other occasions he stood outside her bedroom late at night and repeatedly tapped on the window.
Even after he was remanded in custody for his stalking campaign, Nicol plagued his former partner with abusive phone calls and death threats from inside Perth Prison.
Still fails to accept responsibility
Nicol, 31, from Brechin, admitted engaging in a coercive and controlling course of behaviour towards the woman between July 18 and September 13 last year.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard he had already spent the equivalent of a 20-month sentence on remand.
Sentencing sheriff, Jillian Martin-Brown noted a background report in which Nicol still fails to accept responsibility and said his offending is “clearly something for which a custodial sentence would be appropriate.”
However, given the significant remand period Nicol served, she opted to impose a community payback order.
She said: “This has gone on long enough.
“It’s time to draw a line under these matters.”
Nicol will be supervised for two years and must complete the Fergus Programme, aimed at rehabilitating domestic offenders.
A string of strict conduct requirements were also made and a five-year-long non-harassment order was imposed to protect Nicoll’s victim from any contact.
Sinister night-time visits
Fiscal depute Lynn Mannion previously told the court: “In July he attended outside her bedroom at 11.30pm.
“She was sleeping and was awoken by the dog, which had been disturbed by the accused.
“She spoke to him and he placed a bunch of flowers through the window.
“The following night he attended again.
“The complainer was asleep and was woken by the accused tapping on the window.
“She did not want him there.
“On August 3 she was again asleep after 11pm when she was woken by the accused standing at the side of her bed.
“He still had a key and allowed himself entry without permission.
“He was trying to rekindle the relationship but she told him she did not wish to get back together.
“The accused was crying but he left eventually.”
The fiscal went on: “Another night, at 2am, she was again woken by the accused standing at her bedside.
“He left after ten minutes.
“She had asked him to hand the key back numerous times but he did not.”
Abused from behind bars
Ms Mannion said Nicol repeatedly hurled foul-mouthed abuse at his ex and accused her of cheating on him with other men.
He told her she was “driving me insane” and called her “a heartless bitch.”
Nicol continued turning up at the house late at night.
When he was arrested and remanded he began to call the woman and leave voicemail messages.
The court was told he made more than 30 “mostly abusive” phone calls and told her: “I will f***ing kill you when I get out, bitch.”
Solicitor Doug McConnell, defending, said: “He apologises to her.
“The relationship is now over. His behaviour simply cannot happen.
“It will have had a significant impact upon her.”
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