NOTORIOUS STALKER BOUCHER SPARED JAIL, GIVEN COMMUNITY ORDER DESPITE SOCIAL WORKERS' CONCERNS
Mark Boucher, a 28-year-old known for stalking and domestic abuse, was found guilty of harassing four women over a period spanning from 2007 to the start of this year.Although social workers assessed him as unsuitable for certain interventions, the court sentenced him to a community order that includes 230 hours of unpaid work, three years of supervision, and a restriction of liberty order that confines him to his home between 19:00 and 07:00 for three months.
It was also revealed that Boucher had violated a community payback order twice in the previous year.
He had made threats against his former partner, including sharing a Facebook photo with a machete and warning he would 'butcher' her, claiming he could still access her social media accounts while in custody.
Boucher accepted the charges of stalking, which involved harassing victims at addresses in Dundee, Perth, and Forfar.
The court was told that he targeted all four women both during and after their relationships, accusing them of unfaithfulness while he was involved with other women.
Although the sheriff initially considered imprisonment, she ultimately decided that a community-based sentence aimed at addressing his entrenched attitudes was preferable for public safety.
Non-harassment orders banning contact for five years were also issued.
The sheriff noted, 'It is clear that you are not assessed as suitable for a community disposal.
It is therefore my instinct to send you to jail for all these matters.
However, I believe that the most effective way to protect the public is to focus on changing your offending mindset through community supervision, which could be more beneficial than immediate imprisonment.'
