Jealous ex made threats on social network

Apr 23 2010 by Our court reporter

A JEALOUS stalker who bombarded his teenage ex-girlfriend with messages and threatened her new boyfriend on the social networking site Bebo was warned that he could face jail.

William Russell, (27), had split up with the 19-year-old Kippen girl, more than a year earlier.

But when she changed her Bebo status from single to “in a relationship”, raging Russell plastered her Bebo page with threats.

Stirling Sheriff Court heard that the final straw came four days after Christmas last year, when Russell left a message on her Bebo site asking if her new boyfriend “liked baseball bats”.

Lindsey Brooks, prosecuting, said that Russell – who has already spent time in jail – told his ex she wasn’t “going to get away it”.

The depute fiscal said: “The girl had been in a relationship with the accused between October 2008 and February 2009 before they split up.

“She was on her computer on Tuesday, December 29 last year, on the social networking site Bebo. She noticed a new comment on her page and wasn’t sure how it had come up.

“She believes she might have changed her profile from private to public after changing her online status from ‘single’ to ‘in a relationship’.

“The message was from the accused and read ‘Can’t wait to meet this boyfriend. Wonder if he likes baseball bats and tell him I will see him at court. PML (p***ing myself laughing). Will c u later. You are not going to get away with what you did. Catch u soon’.”

Mrs Brooks added: “The witness was distressed by the message as they had split up so long ago, and she was tired of Mr Russell contacting her.

“She contacted the police who spoke to Mr Russell, and he said ‘I was only replying to the message she sent me’.

“He told police ‘I kent I shouldn’t have sent it. I’m going up to kick him. I will see him soon’.

“He admitted to police he had contacted his ex, and claimed contact had been back and forward since he left .

“He also said she sent him an e-mail saying her new boyfriend was going to “smash him”. He later said to police he was just having a laugh and had no intention to kick him, saying it was “just for a laugh”.

“Although the accused said his ex had contacted him first, she states she had never contacted him.”

Russell, previously from Stirling, but now living in Wall Street, Falkirk, pleaded guilty to breach of the peace.

Defence agent Stephen Maguire claimed said Russell was just being “childish”.

The solicitor said: “The message ‘Can’t wait to meet the boyfriend’ is consistent with his standpoint that he got a response beforehand from his ex-girlfriend.

“However, nothing excuses his childish response. He was hurt deeply by the nature of their break up, but the message should never have been sent and he accepts that.”

Sheriff Andrew Cubie deferred sentence and called for a social background report and an assessment of Russell’s suitability to perform community service as a possible direct alternative to prison.