YOUNG MAN SENTENCED FOR CREATING FAKE SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES TO HARASS EX-GIRLFRIEND
A man named Jayden MacLennan created fake social media profiles by using his ex-girlfriend’s photo, and used these profiles to contact her repeatedly despite being blocked.MacLennan, 20, engaged in a continuous course of abusive behavior towards the woman from September to December 2020.
The complainant first contacted police on September 21, 2020, regarding numerous calls and messages from various profiles MacLennan made, including one where she woke up to 58 missed calls from a private number believed to be him.
Despite warnings and police intervention, MacLennan persisted, creating new accounts and sending messages that included statements like "I just can’t take any more," "Something needs to be done," and "I wasn’t like this before you but there is only so many times you can be blocked." During police interviews, MacLennan admitted to contacting her around 50 times, knowing he was blocked but continuing to reach out via social media and through friends.
The court heard that MacLennan was really young at the time, just 18, and found it difficult to accept the end of his first serious relationship.
The sheriff imposed a community payback order with 12 months’ supervision, opting not to issue a harassment order given the passage of time.
Elaine Fetherston of Inverness Women’s Aid advocated for increased use of non-harassment orders, emphasizing that women should be able to live safely without fear of harassment.
MacLennan’s actions were classified as abusive behavior, fitting in the category of cyberbullying and harassment.
