Nwicker60
10-Dec-13, 18:40
Wick jury hears woman locked her doors fearing her ex-boyfriend was stalking her
A WOMAN claimed today that she was stalked by her former boyfriend who followed her home after pestering her in a Caithness nightclub busy with Christmas revellers.
Anita Macleod told a jury at Wick Sheriff Court that she was so scared that she locked the doors of her rural home at Ravensview, Weydale, near Thurso, and alerted the police. They found a kitchen knife among tools in the van, she alleged, James Brims had used to get there.
The dental nurse told a jury that the trouble began after she encountered James Brims on December 22, 2012, at the Skinandi’s nightspot in Thurso where she with one of several firms celebrating the festive season. Their year-long relationship had ended a few months earlier in July.
Brims, 39, engaged her in conversation but she told him she did really want to talk to him.
The accused wanted to dance and as he had a hold of her handbag she agreed, although unwillingly. They talked about things that had happened in the relationship.
Mrs Macleod, 46, said: “After a while, I began to feel uncomfortable as he was getting more friendly than I would have liked. I told him I just wanted him to be a friend but I could see by his reaction that he wanted more than that.”She made an excuse about having to go to the toilet and was still feeling apprehensive in light of “things that happened”, previously, in their relationship. Brims again insisted on them dancing, on her return and took Mrs Macleod’s arm, “roughly” and “tugged me“ onto the dance floor.
Mrs Macleod said that after they came off the dance floor, Brims became “more aggressive” towards her and went on : “He grabbed hold of my wrist and spun me round. I told him I was not going anywhere with him. I was really scared at that point...he would not let go of me.”
Another nightclub patron intervened and Mrs Macleod managed to get away.
Mrs Macleod was concerned that the accused might be waiting for her outside and friends ran her home. She feared the accused might follow her and locked the doors.
Mrs Macleod said she was “really frightened” when she looked out and saw the tail lights of Brims’ work van parked nearby and soon afterwards saw him pass the kitchen window “as if he was leaving” and she phoned the police.
She agreed with solicitor Duncan Burd that although she had been “100% certain” it was the accused, in her statement, she was now only “reasonably certain”.
The nightclub patron who intervened, Catriona Smith, 48, from Thurso, said that she became concerned when she observed the “body language” of Brims and Mrs Macleod.
Ms Smith, a play leader, said that when Mrs Macleod turned to get away from the accused, he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him then let her go.
Ms Smith went on: “ Brims made another grab for her but was not quick enough and then grabbed me by the neck. I grabbed him by the shirt ripping a few buttons off it.” She added that someone else intervened and the accused was ejected from the nightclub.
Police constable David Souter told how he and a colleague were diverted to Ravensview, four miles from Thurso, in the early hours, after being alerted while out of patrol.
The van bearing the name of a local engineering firm was located, unlocked, but there was no sign of Brims.
Constable Souter said he discovered a kitchen knife with a five-inch blade, among tools scattered about in the back of the van and commented it was not a conventional item to find amongst them.
Brims, of 6 Howburn Road, Thurso, was subsequently detained and charged.
Cross-examined, Constable Souter agreed he had made a mistake in the registration of the van, in his report to the procurator fiscal and that neither the van or the knife had been tested for finger prints.
Brims denies on indictment threatening or abusive behaviour toward Mrs Macleod, following her to her home and putting her in a state of fear or alarm and assaulting Ms Smith. He also pleads not guilty to being in possession of a knife in a vehicle without a reasonable excuse. A special defence lodged, claims that if an offence was committed, it was by the engineering firm, owners of the van. The trial continues.
A WOMAN claimed today that she was stalked by her former boyfriend who followed her home after pestering her in a Caithness nightclub busy with Christmas revellers.
Anita Macleod told a jury at Wick Sheriff Court that she was so scared that she locked the doors of her rural home at Ravensview, Weydale, near Thurso, and alerted the police. They found a kitchen knife among tools in the van, she alleged, James Brims had used to get there.
The dental nurse told a jury that the trouble began after she encountered James Brims on December 22, 2012, at the Skinandi’s nightspot in Thurso where she with one of several firms celebrating the festive season. Their year-long relationship had ended a few months earlier in July.
Brims, 39, engaged her in conversation but she told him she did really want to talk to him.
The accused wanted to dance and as he had a hold of her handbag she agreed, although unwillingly. They talked about things that had happened in the relationship.
Mrs Macleod, 46, said: “After a while, I began to feel uncomfortable as he was getting more friendly than I would have liked. I told him I just wanted him to be a friend but I could see by his reaction that he wanted more than that.”She made an excuse about having to go to the toilet and was still feeling apprehensive in light of “things that happened”, previously, in their relationship. Brims again insisted on them dancing, on her return and took Mrs Macleod’s arm, “roughly” and “tugged me“ onto the dance floor.
Mrs Macleod said that after they came off the dance floor, Brims became “more aggressive” towards her and went on : “He grabbed hold of my wrist and spun me round. I told him I was not going anywhere with him. I was really scared at that point...he would not let go of me.”
Another nightclub patron intervened and Mrs Macleod managed to get away.
Mrs Macleod was concerned that the accused might be waiting for her outside and friends ran her home. She feared the accused might follow her and locked the doors.
Mrs Macleod said she was “really frightened” when she looked out and saw the tail lights of Brims’ work van parked nearby and soon afterwards saw him pass the kitchen window “as if he was leaving” and she phoned the police.
She agreed with solicitor Duncan Burd that although she had been “100% certain” it was the accused, in her statement, she was now only “reasonably certain”.
The nightclub patron who intervened, Catriona Smith, 48, from Thurso, said that she became concerned when she observed the “body language” of Brims and Mrs Macleod.
Ms Smith, a play leader, said that when Mrs Macleod turned to get away from the accused, he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him then let her go.
Ms Smith went on: “ Brims made another grab for her but was not quick enough and then grabbed me by the neck. I grabbed him by the shirt ripping a few buttons off it.” She added that someone else intervened and the accused was ejected from the nightclub.
Police constable David Souter told how he and a colleague were diverted to Ravensview, four miles from Thurso, in the early hours, after being alerted while out of patrol.
The van bearing the name of a local engineering firm was located, unlocked, but there was no sign of Brims.
Constable Souter said he discovered a kitchen knife with a five-inch blade, among tools scattered about in the back of the van and commented it was not a conventional item to find amongst them.
Brims, of 6 Howburn Road, Thurso, was subsequently detained and charged.
Cross-examined, Constable Souter agreed he had made a mistake in the registration of the van, in his report to the procurator fiscal and that neither the van or the knife had been tested for finger prints.
Brims denies on indictment threatening or abusive behaviour toward Mrs Macleod, following her to her home and putting her in a state of fear or alarm and assaulting Ms Smith. He also pleads not guilty to being in possession of a knife in a vehicle without a reasonable excuse. A special defence lodged, claims that if an offence was committed, it was by the engineering firm, owners of the van. The trial continues.