A convicted sex offender, who stood outside a pub staring at a woman he was stalking, has been jailed.
Darren Shields, 30, was sentenced to 26 months behind bars.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard Shields told his victim’s parents he was in love with their daughter around February last year, but they said she was in a relationship and not interested.
In October last year Shields then spent a brief period in prison for failing to comply with the sex offenders register.
Shortly after his release Shields then began to approach the woman’s parents again.
Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson said: “The accused told them he couldn’t live without her and that if anyone was to go near her he would ‘cut them up’.
“He also told the complainer’s father that if he had a gun he would kill himself.
“The complainer’s father reiterated that his daughter was not interested and asked him to leave her alone.”
Around two weeks later the woman noticed Shields standing staring at her from across the road as she sat in a car outside a Dundee pub. Visibly “upset”, the woman got out and ran into the pub, where her parents were inside. Her father went outside and confronted Shields, telling him he was scaring his daughter.
Shields replied he did not want to hurt her then made comments suggesting an obsession with her and relating to sexual acts he wanted to carry out with her.
Solicitor David Duncan, defending, said: “He appears to appreciate there are significant difficulties with his thought process, and the way he deals with things.
“He’s anxious to get help with these issues.”
Shields, a prisoner at Perth, admitted engaging in a course of conduct which caused fear and alarm to a woman between October 24 and November 9, both last year, at a Dundee public house and street.
He further admitted a second charge of failing to comply with the sex offenders register between October 24 and 26 last year at police headquarters and elsewhere in Dundee.
Shields was placed on the register for a further 10 years, and he was given an anti-social behaviour order stating he was not to contact or approach, or attempt to contact or approach, the woman for five years.
Sheriff Brown warned: “Leave her completely alone.”
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