Raging ex wrecked former partner's Falkirk salon

A man's campaign of threats and intimidation against his former partner came to a head when he trashed her hair salon.

Martin Letham (33) had actually fitted out the premises for the woman before the relationship turned sour, but that did not stop him barging in and wrecking the place – causing £14,000 of damage.

Letham, listed as a prisoner of Low Moss, appeared from custody at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having admitted placing his former partner in a state of fear and alarm between December 8 and December 17 last year and recklessly destroying property in Bank Street, Falkirk on December 13, 2017.

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The court heard it was the first time Letham, who was remanded on December 14 last year, had ever been in custody.

His defence agent also stated Letham had spent considerable time and energy refitting the salon for the woman.

Sheriff Craig Caldwell said: “You pled guilty to these charges – one of them carried out over a period of five or six days, repeatedly contacting your former partner by text and telephone at her home and her place of work.

“You made very serious threats of violence and abuse and these were repeated.”

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Sheriff Caldwell said the most serious charge saw Letham actually going to the woman’s work and proceeding to totally trash the premises – throwing paint over floors.

“You went to her place of business at her salon and destroyed it. Whether you refitted it out or not – you seriously hampered her ability to carry out her work. I believe you caused around £14,000 of damage to the premises.

“There is no alternative but to impose a significant custodial sentence.”

Sheriff Caldwell jailed Letham for 14 months and back dated the sentence to December 14, when Letham was first taken into custody.

He also made Letham subject to a non-harassment order upon his release from custody which means he will not be able to have any contact with the complainer in this case for a period of five years.