Ex '˜ignored reality' of relationship being over

A man could not accept his 18-month relationship was at an end and began calling his former partner on countless occasions and following her around.

On one day alone Kevin Kerr (33), 20 6/A Symington Drive, Falkirk, called his ex a total of 52 times. His five days of fear-inducing attentions came to a head when he followed her to her mother’s house and appeared at the window, pressing his face against the glass trying to see inside.

Kerr appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having pled guilty to causing his ex partner fear and alarm at various places, including Church Place, the Callendar Arms and Brodie Street in Falkirk between September 13 and 17 last year.

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Procurator fiscal depute Graham McLachlan said: “They had been in a relationship for 18 months and the accused phoned her mobile twice and her house phone and she didn’t answer the calls.

“The next day the accused phoned the complainer 21 times from his mobile number and a further five times from a private number and she answered some of the calls because she didn’t know who they were from.

“Whenever she did answer, he would say he just wanted to talk to her. The accused then came to the front door of her house and knocked on the door, but she wouldn’t answer. He remained at the front door for around an hour.

“He shouted through the letterbox saying someone was at the door and that one of her children had returned from school.”

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When the ruse worked an the complainer opened the door, Kerr tried to engage her in conversation.

Mr McLachlan said: “She told the accused to leave and he picked up her mobile phone and she asked for it back.”

The next day he bombarded her with 52 phone call.

Things soon came to a head when the complainer received a Facebook message from a neighbour indicating the accused was back at her address again.

“The complainer became a bit fearful the accused had been following her,” said Mr McLachlan. “So she booked a taxi and went to her mother’s address. It was 5pm and the complainer was in her mother’s address when the accused was seen outside.

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“He is described as pressing his face against the window and staring in. Someone went out and confronted him about his presence.”

Neil Hay, defence solicitor, said these actions covered a very short period – five days – and Kerr accepted the relationship was over and had now moved on.

Sheriff Derek Livingston raised concerns about Kerr’s statement in a report which seemed to indicate he thought the relationship had never ended.

Sheriff Livingston said: “There must come a point when you have to accept the relationship is over. It seems to me you were ignoring reality completely.”

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Kerr was placed on a supervised community payback order with the condition he complete 135 hours unpaid work within nine months. He was also made subject of a non-harassment order for two years not to contact his former partner.