CHRISTOPHER TOGNARELLI FROM LUMPHINNANS CONVICTED OF STALKING NEIGHBOUR IN DUNFERMLINE

A resident of Lumphinnans, Christopher Tognarelli, has been found guilty of engaging in a stalking campaign against a neighbor, following a court case held at Dunfermline Sheriff Court. The incident involved a series of disturbing behaviors carried out over the span of a month, during which Tognarelli was recorded on CCTV making inappropriate and sexualized gestures with his fingers in his mouth as he walked past a neighbor’s house. This behavior was repeated a total of 49 times, indicating a persistent pattern linked to an ongoing dispute between the two parties.

According to court documents, Tognarelli’s actions were intended to instill fear or cause alarm in the victim. His conduct included shouting, making animalistic noises, and repeatedly directing sexualized gestures towards her property. However, prosecutors clarified that there was no significant sexual element to his behavior, despite the gestures' suggestive nature. The case marked the third time Tognarelli had been involved in similar incidents with the same woman, highlighting a long-standing neighbor dispute that had escalated over time.

The victim, a woman who has lived in the Lumphinnans area since 1974, reported the harassment to the police. Her account was supported by CCTV footage, which clearly showed Tognarelli’s actions occurring exclusively when he was opposite her residence. The police responded swiftly, arresting Tognarelli on August 11 and charging him with stalking and related offenses.

During the court proceedings, Tognarelli’s defense argued that the incidents were part of a prolonged neighbor conflict, which had been further inflamed by a storm and a broken fence incident in January. To monitor ongoing issues, Tognarelli had installed CCTV cameras at his home, which inadvertently captured his inappropriate behavior.

In sentencing, Sheriff Johnston imposed a fine of £400 on Tognarelli and issued a three-year ban preventing him from making any contact with the victim. The sheriff issued a stern warning, emphasizing that any attempt to contact her again would result in Tognarelli being summoned back to court. The sheriff acknowledged that, although the dispute was rooted in neighborhood disagreements, the behavior exhibited by Tognarelli was distressing and unacceptable for the victim, underscoring the seriousness with which the court viewed such conduct.