A man accused of an international campaign of harassment is to jet in to Scotland from Australia to stand trial over the allegations.
Reece Griffiths is said to have driven from his former home in Cheshire to target his alleged victim at her home in Fife – before following her via Manchester Airport to Greece.
Prosecutors say Griffiths stalked the woman over the course of four weeks between July 12 and August 5 last year.
It is alleged he “engaged in a course of conduct” that caused the woman fear or alarm by repeatedly attempted to phone her, repeatedly sent her pictures of himself and repeatedly sent her “sexualised and abusive text messages”.
He is then alleged to have driven from his then-home in Cheshire to her home in Fife and thrown bricks containing “handwritten abusive messages” to her.
Griffiths is alleged to have broken the windows and injured the occupants during that incident.
Finally it is alleged he drove to Manchester, boarded a plane at the city’s airport and followed the woman to Malia where he is alleged to have threatened violence towards her and stolen her mobile phone.
A second charge accuses him of vandalising the woman’s home by breaking a window on August 4 last year.
Griffiths, 22, whose address was given on court papers as Old Coach Road, No Man’s Heath, Malpas, Cheshire, was not present for a hearing on the case at Dundee Sheriff Court on Thursday – with his lawyer telling the court he had emigrated to Australia in December of last year before court proceedings had begun.
Solicitor Debbie Ginniver, defending, said: “This is a slightly odd situation.
“He was unable to travel back from Australia for today but has confirmed he will be here for any trial.”
Fiscal depute Lynne Mannion said the Crown would not seek a warrant for his arrest due to non-attendance because he is now residing thousands of miles away.
Sheriff Pino di Emidio set a trial date in July, at which Griffiths was ordered to attend.
