NATHAN BELL

A man posted sexual letters through a stranger’s door in Fife, including a note asking the woman to tick a box to “have some fun”.

On the same night Nathan Bell, 20, posted a second handwritten with a sexual claim and “you 100% won’t be disappointed.” The sexually explicit content, written on paper from his own partner’s old work notebook, left his victim feeling alarmed and upset.

A sheriff did not find there was a significant sexual element to his crime but handed him a £500 compensation order and banned him from contacting the woman for six months.

Bell appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court to plead guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner in February this year at an address in the city.

Prosecutor Amy Robertson told the court it appeared to be “actions of stupidity” rather than underlying sexual deviance.

The fiscal depute said in early August last year the woman accepted a Facebook friend request from Bell but they had never interacted in person.

Shortly before 6pm on February 15 this year, the woman found a handwritten letter had been folded and posted through the letterbox.

It stated: “Hey, how’s it going?

You are stunning.

Wanna’ have some fun?” Bell had drawn “yes” and “no” check boxes and a question mark underneath.

A short time later she received a Facebook message from Bell saying, “hey, what’s up?” but she did not respond.

Later that evening, a second letter said, “you 100% won’t be disappointed… trust me,” along with a sexually suggestive comment.

Alarmed by the content, she contacted police.

Bell’s partner was shown the notes and confirmed it was his handwriting and the paper was from her old work notebooks.

Defence lawyer Stephen Mannifield said Bell’s behaviour was a “ham fisted, crudely worded… attempt at seduction”.

Mr Mannifield said Bell is unemployed due to serious injuries suffered during an industrial accident and, though he has no income, has capital from compensation for the accident and could make payments to the woman.

Sentencing Bell, Sheriff Duff said she would consider his young age and that it was “probably quite a naive incident”.