DARREN WORTHINGTON FROM PAISLEY VIOLATES NON-HARASSMENT ORDER AT SOCIAL WORK BUILDING

A man residing in Paisley has been mandated to perform community service after breaching the terms of a court-issued non-harassment order. Darren Worthington, who was subject to a ten-year non-harassment restriction imposed in March 2020, was legally prohibited from contacting or approaching his former partner. Despite this, he violated the court’s directive by having what has been described as a 'chance encounter' with her on May 10, 2022.

The incident took place at a social work office located within Paisley. Witnesses observed Worthington, who is identified by court officials as a prisoner of Low Moss jail in Bishopbriggs, approach his ex-partner during her visit. According to reports, he looked directly at her, smirked, and made a statement that she found threatening: “Don’t worry, I’m not going to f*****g hurt you.” This comment, coupled with his demeanor, was perceived as intimidating by the woman.

During court proceedings, it was revealed that Worthington and his ex-partner had been involved in a relationship that lasted approximately two years, ending in December 2019. The court heard that the woman, upon seeing Worthington behind social workers at the facility, became panicked and feared for her safety. Her reaction was to leave the building quickly and to watch from a distance as he exited, clearly distressed by the encounter.

Authorities confirmed that Worthington was subsequently arrested after the woman reported the incident to police. He was remanded in custody following his failure to attend a scheduled court hearing in September 2023. However, Sheriff Amel Elfallah stated that, given his previous time spent in custody, she did not see the necessity of remanding him again. Instead, she sentenced Worthington to 110 hours of unpaid community work and placed him under supervision for a period of 12 months, emphasizing the importance of compliance with court orders and the seriousness of breaching such restrictions.