A SPURNED student who hounded a Scots sportsman after he dumped her has failed in a bid to avoid any punishment.
Morven Macdonald, 21, harassed the man including threatening to go to the media with accusations about him.
Morven Macdonald, 20, harassed the man including threatening to go to the media with accusations about him[/caption]
She also bombarded him with texts, turned up at his home, tried to be ‘friends’ with his mum on Facebook and also kept checking his dating app profile.
The pair had only dated for a month in 2023. It lead to the victim – who cannot be named for legal reasons – feeling scared and saw him lose weight from the stress of the ordeal.
MacDonald pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to a single charge of stalking.
The University of Edinburgh international relations student, through her advocate Allan MacLeod, had attempted to get an absolute discharge.
This would have meant that the conviction would not appear on her criminal record.
However, this was refused by Sheriff Bernard Ablett who ordered MacDonald, of Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire, to do 72 hours of unpaid work.
He said: “It cannot be said that this offence is minor as it occurred over a number of days.
“It cannot be said that the contact was a result of a momentary lapse of judgement.
“I consider the contact to be sufficiently serious and should be marked by a community payback order.”
The court previously heard the harassment occurred over an eight day period in October 2023.
Glasgow Sheriff Court[/caption]
The man had decided to end the relationship to commit to his studies at the time.
The court heard it was decided to split “amicably”. But, fiscal Jenniefer Sillars told the hearing MacDonald “had a problem accepting it being over”.
There was contact between the pair before the man blocked her on social media following a “series of text messages”.
One read: “Are you seriously blocking me on Snap[Chat], you are doing this to offend me.”
The man was then sent a screenshot of an Uber receipt. Miss Sillars said MacDonald turned up at his home.
He was not in, but MacDonald asked his flatmate could she come in to charge her phone. She was turned away.
When the victim heard about this, he was left “fearful”.
The man later got a message that MacDonald was again in his local area.
He did not reply, but believed she may again turn up at his door. She then texted stating she “will not do anything if you see me”.
This made him “alarmed”.
MacDonald followed up warning she would send “a wee email” to his then university.
Miss Sillars added: “The man thought this was a threat as she knew he was a student.
“She threatened to speak to a journalist if he did not comply or reply to email communication.”
MacDonald sent more messages and then also a screenshot of his Tinder profile that he had found.
She added: “Dating a while, yeah?” She also tried adding his mum as a “friend” on Facebook despite them having never met.
“The request was later removed. It all lead to police being called in and MacDonald was arrested on November 10 2023.
“Mr MacLeod told the sentencing that his client carried out the stalking following an incident which she alleged happened.
“The advocate also stated MacDonald is set to achieve a first in her masters degree and wishes a career in diplomatic relations.
He said: “She is a young woman aged 21.
“This conviction will have an impact on her career prospects.
“She would have to disclose this conviction to the civil service.”
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