A court has heard how a brilliant Chinese student faces “disgrace” after she was found guilty of stalking a professor at St Andrews University.
Ruixue Zhang’s victim followed police advice to sneak in and out of the university using fire exits and accompanied by colleagues to avoid her.
Zhang, 29, tried to keep studying at the university by lavishing unwanted gifts upon him, including a portrait she had drawn.
She had to be removed from the university grounds by security staff on several occasions and the professor eventually started working from home.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard Zhang “wouldn’t take no for an answer” and continued to turn up at the university and bombard the professor with emails, begging to be given a PhD place.
She continued the campaign of harassment for eight months despite admitting in one of her “polite” emails she was causing annoyance and may be breaking the law.
Zhang, whose address was given as Dundee Backpackers hostel, was found guilty of stalking at the university from March 1 to October 25 last year.
Her solicitor Billy Watt asked the court to grant an absolute discharge – meaning she would have no conviction on her record – to avoid “disgrace” upon her return to China.
However, Sheriff Neil Kinnear fined Zhang £300 and banned her from approaching or contacting her victim for the next two years.
Stalking ‘test’ met
The court heard Zhang completed a Masters in Computer Science and was desperate to remain under the tutelage of the professor, a leading authority on modelling human fertility.
She regularly turned up uninvited for weekly PhD student meetings despite being told her application had been refused as there was no space for more students.
On at least three occasions, she was told to leave the university campus by security as she was no longer a student and had no right to be there.
Fiscal depute Kate Scarborough said: “The test for stalking has been met.
“The court has heard about numerous emails sent. The court heard about gifts being sent, including a hand-drawn portrait.
“The complainer gave evidence that he was very worried. He spoke about the reputational and career impact and the impact on his family life.
“The matter reached the point where police were involved.
“He was entering and leaving through fire doors, with the assistance of colleagues, to avoid the main entrance.
“He stayed away from the campus more than he otherwise would have.”
‘Incredible stigma’
In her evidence, Zhang claimed she had been offered a PhD place but returned from a trip to China to find it had been withdrawn.
University staff told the court her PhD application was rejected in February 2024.
Zhang was found guilty of causing fear or alarm by stalking Professor Kelsey.
Mr Watt said: “She is someone with a potentially exceptionally bright future ahead of her in the field she operates in.
“The consequences of a conviction here would be disproportionately severe and irreversible.
“A conviction would jeopardise her immigration status and perhaps lead to her removal from the UK and exclusion from employment in the field in which she studies.
“It would leave her with an incredible stigma.
“She travelled from China to Scotland, to some extent as a rising star, and she would return to China as a criminal following her time at St Andrews University.
“The impact of that would be absolutely devastating… the impact of going back to China in disgrace would be devastating.”
Sentencing suggestion rejected
Sheriff Kinnear had refused the absolute discharge suggestion, stating: “I agree it is a very unusual, unfortunate and rather sad case.
“But I take account of the persistence of it over a period of time and that it had a substantial effect on the university and professor.
“He was quite candid that he never felt there was any physical threat and the contact had always been polite and respectful but it was the persistence over a prolonged period which caused him – after consulting with security and police – to work from home.
“That was both to his detriment and to his colleagues and students.”
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