ALBA PARTY CANDIDATE ESCAPES JAIL DESPITE MENACING THREATS TO EX-WIFE
An Alba Party candidate named Mark Shields, who stood for election in North Lanarkshire and has a history of political activity, appeared at Perth Sheriff Court for a case involving threatening and abusive behavior.Shields had previously pled guilty to causing fear or alarm by threatening or alarming behavior at a city property, specifically making offensive remarks and repeatedly contacting his ex-wife, which included baseless and abusive emails.
The court was told that Shields sent nine emails on August 9 last year, making false claims about his ex-wife’s current husband, including unsubstantiated allegations that he was a paedophile.
In these emails, Shields also menaced her by threatening to tell “friends” at Perth Prison about her new husband and referred to her partner as a “scummy rat,” maintaining that he had friends in HMP Perth.
The woman reported the matter to police on October 19, coinciding with Shields’s campaigning activities.
Shields was arrested in January after being questioned by police.
During sentencing, he was admonished, meaning he received a criminal record but no further punishment, as Sheriff Jennifer Bain KC noted he had not come to police attention since his last court appearance.
Shields acknowledged that his comments were “stupid” and the court described his behavior as “unfortunate,” deferring sentence to demonstrate it was a “one-off” incident.
He was also banned from contacting his ex-wife for a year.
Shields thanked the sheriff as he left the dock.
The court heard that Shields claimed to have friends in HMP Perth and intended to bring her current husband's name into future conversations.
Despite these threats and menacing remarks, the court decided not to impose further punishment beyond admonishment.
