Grangemouth offender drove car at ex after trip to Kelpies

Richard Campbell (32) initially contacted his former partner by phone and, at various stages of the calls, threatened to kill her and ruin her life.

Campbell, from Grangemouth, then took his threatening behaviour a stage further by actually driving his car at her while after she had visited the famous Kelpies at Falkirk’s Helix.

Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court earlier today, Campbell had pleaded guilty to engaging in abusive conduct towards his ex-partner on April 17 and April 30 last year.

At a previous appearance in March procurator fiscal depute Katie Cunningham said the complainer received a phone call from Campbell, who, swearing at her almost continuously throughout the call, made a number of vile threats, including stating he wanted to ruin her life by posting something on Facebook and he would do so unless she came round to meet him and engage in sexual intercourse.

Campbell said “I swear I will kill you” and threatened to rape her. He also demanded she get rid of her current partner.

The procurator fiscal said on a later date, Campbell caught up with the woman at the Kelpies and the drove his car at her follwing the trip, swerving at the last moment to avoid her.

At a previous appearance Sheriff Christopher Shead said Campbell was a regular domestic offender “on the face of it” who has problems dealing with women in a civilised way.

Earlier today Sheriff Shead said: "The things you said should be enough to demonstrate to all with an interest in this case how serious a matter this. There was a background of stress and mental health difficulties, but you have a history of offending towards women.

"You need education to begin to change your vile attitude towards women.”

He placed Campbell on a supervised community payback order for three years and ordered him to complete 200 hours unpaid work within 12 months.

The sheriff decided a non-harassment order was not required in this case.