STALKER ORDERED TO STAY AWAY FROM WOMEN
A court has ordered a man to avoid contact with three women after he engaged in stalking behaviour at Aberdeen Art Gallery and the city’s Central Library.Cameron Starmer, 36 years old, caused distress by approaching women who were inside these locations.
He stared at one woman and inquired about her personal plans for the weekend.
He also caused concern by following another woman to a shop nearby, which upset her.
Additionally, a different woman, upon noticing him walking behind her on her way home from work, called her husband in fear.
The sheriff described Starmer’s conduct as having led to “psychological harm” to his victims, with the harassment lasting over three years for one individual.
The court was told that Starmer’s solicitor, Michael Burtnett, suggested that his client might have “perhaps formed an attachment” to the women at a time when he was going through a mental health crisis.
The court was told by fiscal depute Maliya Ngalam that a staff member at Aberdeen Art Gallery learned of Starmer’s inappropriate conduct after female colleagues expressed their concerns.
By January 2022, it was noted that Starmer frequently appeared at the gallery, spending considerable time walking around and monitoring different areas.
One woman believed his wandering was intended to observe staff members.
Several women described how Starmer would often stare at them while they worked.
Meanwhile, during her lunch break, one woman saw Starmer in an aisle at a nearby Sainsbury’s.
Their eyes met, and he quickly approached her, brushing past and making contact by touching her arm and back.
She left immediately, and he did not follow.
Additionally, on August 12 last year, the same woman, working in the artefacts section, was approached by Starmer who discussed some of the items on display.
She found his prolonged conversation uncomfortable, especially when he asked about her weekend plans and whether she intended to visit the Music Hall.
The prosecutor indicated that this encounter left her feeling very uneasy.
In August 2025, a woman walking along Schoolhill, away from the city center, noticed Starmer walking nearby behind her.
She decided to cross the street as she approached Rubislaw Place, then turned to look behind her and observed Starmer once more.
As she neared St Swithin Street, she turned around and saw Starmer quickly hide behind a hedge to avoid her view.
Later, when she saw him again behind her, she entered a Spar store and called her husband for assistance.
Starmer appeared in court and admitted to two charges of conduct that was likely to cause fear or distress to two women.
He also confessed to behaving in a threatening or abusive way by following a third woman to her home.
Defence solicitor Micheal Burnett told the court that there was a mental health background to his client’s behaviour but pointed out there was no obvious sexual element to any of these incidents.
“He seems to have perhaps formed an attachment to these women,” he said, adding that Starmer “seems to have some insight into the impact that these incidents have had on these women”.
“What he needs is proper mental health management to deal with these issues that he has,” Mr Burnett said.
“Mr Starmer needs that extra support.” Sheriff Lesley Johnston told Starmer that she took into account that he had been struggling with mental health problems at the time but said his actions had caused his victims to experience “fear and alarm” due to his actions.
“There’s no doubt that these offences caused psychological harm to the complainers.” Sheriff Johnston made Starmer, of Great Western Road, Aberdeen, subject to a structured deferred sentence for him to be of good behaviour for six months.
She also put a non-harassment order in place, meaning he cannot approach any of his victims for three years.
