A Dundee pensioner who stalked his Thai bride has apologised to her, saying prescription drugs had made him paranoid.
Rodger Morris, 65, of Balunie Drive, was fined £100 at Dundee Sheriff Court after admitting loitering outside Juthamas Morris’s workplace in Broughty Ferry over a seven-week period and offering her colleague £50 to give him her contact details.
Morris, who has Parkinson’s Disease, admitted causing the woman fear and alarm between April 1 and May 22 last year. The couple had met on the internet and married in Thailand in 2008.
They returned to the UK in 2009 and set up home in Blairgowrie, before moving to Broughty Ferry in 2011.
Morris claims the medication for his Parkinson’s condition left him paranoid and unfairly suspicious of his wife and the pair eventually separated.
In a previous hearing, the court heard reports that Morris had been hanging around his wife’s workplace and had spoken to colleagues in an attempt to get her contact details.
Morris, who called his wife June, said he regretted the pain he had caused.
He said: “I was still in love with her. I still do love her.
“I believe it was the drugs, as they were causing side effects of paranoia. I do deserve the fine and I did deserve being charged.
“I regret the whole thing. I don’t regret getting married to her. She is very loving and caring.
“It was just me being stupid and believing the paranoia. I would like to apologise to her for everything and the pain I caused her.”
He added: “If I could turn the clock back, I would.”
At the earlier court hearing Morris’s solicitor Kevin Hampton said: “It is unfortunate for a man of Mr Morris’s age to be appearing in court.
“Mr Morris had spent quite a bit of money on this lady and due to ill health he lost his job and money was harder to come by.
“When Mrs Morris left, Mr Morris found it hard to deal with and wanted to speak to her to sort things out.”
Mr Hampton said medication prescribed to his client for Parkinson’s Disease produced side effects including compulsive and impulsive behaviour.
“This may have played a part in his behaviour,” he said.
Sentencing, Sheriff Hogg said: “On the previous occasion I indicated to you that this type of behaviour was completely unacceptable.”