ANGUS MAN CONVICTED OF FOLLOWING EX-PARTNER AND ABUSIVE BEHAVIOUR GETS SUPERVISION ORDER
A man who admitted following his ex-girlfriend around Angus and bombarding her with messages has been placed under supervision.Kevin Findlater previously admitted engaging in a course of abusive behaviour towards his girlfriend of two years.
He also admitted swerving his car in front of the woman and her friends after a messy break-up but told social workers it was not part of the course of conduct.
He appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court to be sentenced and his counsel asked Sheriff Paul Brown for an absolute discharge.
This was rejected by the sheriff, who placed Findlater, of Kirkton of Auchterhouse, under supervision.
Findlater’s former partner said his behaviour had changed drastically around the time of the first lockdown, objecting to her attending social occasions with her friends and mother.
Between March and June of 2020, his behaviour worsened, culminating in terrifying encounters in their cars, including following her at Westmuir reserve and hiding in bushes in Newtyle park.
He also sent threatening messages.
In June 2020, he drove at speed towards her and her friends on the B954 road, causing both vehicles to take evasive action.
Findlater previously admitted breaching the Domestic Abuse Scotland Act 2018 and driving dangerously.
His lawyer explained that he had put applying for jobs on hold until proceedings finished, as he cycled to work and cared for an elderly relative.
The court sentenced him to a one-year supervision order, disqualified him from driving for a year, and fined him £420.
The sheriff noted the offences were serious but did not issue a non-harassment order, emphasizing the distress caused but acknowledging this falls at the lower end of the scale of the Domestic Abuse Scotland Act.
Findlater has had no contact with the complainant since.
