Nwicker60
02-Oct-15, 14:26
Calendar mail sent to ex. had 'chilling' birth date message
WICK Sheriff Court heard today about the "chilling" mail James Robbie sent to his ex-girlfriend. It contained a calendar with a note scrawled on her birth date which read -"You die".
Robbie, 50, appeared from custody and admitted threatening behaviour. He was jailed for nine months, by Sheriff Andrew Berry.
The court heard that it was by no means the first time Robbie had given his ex. cause for concern. He sent her the calendar from a flat in Thurso, on August 20. Their eight-month relationship had ended last year. When the woman opened the envelope, she was directed to her birth date and the death threat. It wasn't signed by the sender but she recognised Robbie's handwriting and contacted the police.
Fiscal David Barclay said that when questioned by officers, Robbie admitted it was "a stupid thing to do" and claimed he was under the influence of drink at the time. He added he would never harm his ex. who told the police she just wanted the accused to "leave her alone".
Sheriff Berry told Robbie, of 108 Larel Avenue, Inverness, that it was "difficult to imagine a more chilling scenario" than the mail the woman had received.
The sheriff, who saw a background report, said that the accused had previous convictions for offending against his former girlfriend including stalking her, bail breaches and an offence dealt with at the High Court, at Edinburgh, on June 17, this year, when he had sentence deferred for good behaviour..
The sheriff added that, despite the confidence the judge had placed in him, the accused made the calendar threat only two months later and added that it would be "singularly amiss" for his former girlfriend if the latest charge did not attract a prison sentence. Robbie interrupted the sheriff from the dock to say he was "totally ashamed of himself".
In addition to the jail sentence, Robbie was made subject to a non-harrassment order banning him from having any contact with his former girlfriend for an indefinite period.
WICK Sheriff Court heard today about the "chilling" mail James Robbie sent to his ex-girlfriend. It contained a calendar with a note scrawled on her birth date which read -"You die".
Robbie, 50, appeared from custody and admitted threatening behaviour. He was jailed for nine months, by Sheriff Andrew Berry.
The court heard that it was by no means the first time Robbie had given his ex. cause for concern. He sent her the calendar from a flat in Thurso, on August 20. Their eight-month relationship had ended last year. When the woman opened the envelope, she was directed to her birth date and the death threat. It wasn't signed by the sender but she recognised Robbie's handwriting and contacted the police.
Fiscal David Barclay said that when questioned by officers, Robbie admitted it was "a stupid thing to do" and claimed he was under the influence of drink at the time. He added he would never harm his ex. who told the police she just wanted the accused to "leave her alone".
Sheriff Berry told Robbie, of 108 Larel Avenue, Inverness, that it was "difficult to imagine a more chilling scenario" than the mail the woman had received.
The sheriff, who saw a background report, said that the accused had previous convictions for offending against his former girlfriend including stalking her, bail breaches and an offence dealt with at the High Court, at Edinburgh, on June 17, this year, when he had sentence deferred for good behaviour..
The sheriff added that, despite the confidence the judge had placed in him, the accused made the calendar threat only two months later and added that it would be "singularly amiss" for his former girlfriend if the latest charge did not attract a prison sentence. Robbie interrupted the sheriff from the dock to say he was "totally ashamed of himself".
In addition to the jail sentence, Robbie was made subject to a non-harrassment order banning him from having any contact with his former girlfriend for an indefinite period.