SCIENTIST FOUND GUILTY FOR ABUSIVE CALLS TO EX-PARTNER
A SCIENTIST has been found guilty of making abusive calls to his former partner.Andrew Tongue, 39, used abusive language and uttered threats during the calls on February 15 and February 20 this year.
Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard how the couple split in 2011.
Tongue, a scientist with the RSPB, made the calls from his home in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, during the English half-term holidays.
The court heard how police visited his ex-partner’s Irvine address around 11pm on February 15 after he called previously.
After the police left, the woman called Tongue and gave evidence stating he sounded angry and was “obsessional”.
She took Tongue’s comments as a threat.
Tongue was visibly agitated during the woman’s evidence and was seen laughing and shaking his head throughout.
Presiding Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane took a dim view of his behaviour and warned him several times about speaking out of turn.
Further evidence from the woman revealed that Tongue threatened to “burn her in her bed”, a claim supported by her husband when giving evidence.
The woman said this made her anxious but her husband could not recall any specific details relating to the charge.
In cross examination, defence solicitor David Simpson said the claims were fabricated by the couple to get back at Tongue but the couple denied this.
Tongue repeatedly stated that he was a “man of good character” and maintained his innocence throughout.
When Mrs McDonald asked him if he was “lying through his teeth”, Tongue responded with nervous laughter before saying “how dare you”.
Sheriff McFarlane was unconvinced by Tongue’s version of events and found him guilty on both charges.
But she gave Tongue a chance to show he can behave himself by deferring sentence until March for good behaviour.
