GREGORY DYKES FROM STIRLING INVOLVED IN DISTURBING ONLINE AND STALKING INCIDENTS

A young man named Gregory Dykes, aged 21, from Stirling, found himself at the center of a serious legal case involving online misconduct and stalking behavior. The incident began when Dykes, who was a student at Stirling University, posted a photograph of a female undergraduate on the internet, specifically on the classified advertising website Craigslist. The post was not merely a casual upload; it included a provocative and highly inappropriate message asking if anyone had engaged in sexual activity with her.

In the post, Dykes identified the woman by her name, which has been redacted for privacy, and mentioned that she studies psychology at Stirling University. His message read: "Goes by the name [redacted]. Studies psychology at Stirling University. Have you f*cked her? Got any pics of her in action? Want to hear what she's been up to or thought about fantasies you had about her. Hit me up." This crude and invasive message caused significant distress to the victim, who was deeply concerned about the implications of such a post becoming publicly accessible through a simple Google search.

The victim, a 23-year-old student, was worried about her reputation and the potential impact on her future career prospects if her personal details and images were to be widely circulated or discovered by her employers. Her concerns prompted her to contact the police, as she feared the post could lead to further harassment or damage to her personal and professional life.

The court proceedings at Stirling Sheriff Court revealed that the posting, made in September of the previous year, was part of a pattern of increasingly troubling behavior by Dykes. The victim described how Dykes had been repeatedly hanging around outside her flat in Stirling during the night, making phone calls and sending text messages in an attempt to get her attention. On one occasion, while she was holidaying in Singapore with friends, Dykes sent her a message via Facebook asking for her blood type, demonstrating a disturbing level of fixation.

Further evidence presented in court showed that two years prior, during a university presentation, the victim was subjected to a distressing message from Dykes. While she was speaking in front of an audience, she opened her laptop to find a message from an anonymous account—later confirmed to be Dykes—containing the hostile words: "Congratulations, I absolutely f*cking hate you."

During the hearing, it was established that Dykes, who is originally from Tonbridge, Kent, and was studying at Stirling University with plans to pursue a Master's degree, pleaded guilty to charges of stalking and posting the explicit image along with her personal details online. The intent behind the posting was to invite inappropriate sexual comments from viewers, further exacerbating the victim’s distress.

Kelly Howe, representing Dykes, expressed that her client deeply regrets his actions and acknowledged that his behavior was entirely unacceptable. Howe explained that Dykes had been struggling with alcohol misuse at the time, which contributed to his conduct. She emphasized that Dykes had shown significant remorse, as noted in a background report prepared by a social worker.

In response to the case, Sheriff Wyllie Robertson decided to impose a sentence of community service, following the recommendations of the social work report. Dykes was ordered to complete 225 hours of unpaid work as part of a Community Payback Order, reflecting the seriousness of his actions and the need for rehabilitation and accountability.