ABERFELDY MAN VALENTINO MURDOCH TERRORIZES COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH ONLINE THREATS AND ABUSE

A disturbing case of online harassment has come to light involving Valentino Murdoch, a resident of Aberfeldy, who engaged in a prolonged campaign of digital abuse and threats against two former college classmates. The incident, which spanned from March 1 to April 21, 2021, saw Murdoch create multiple fake social media accounts to torment his victims with hateful messages, offensive remarks, and outright threats of violence.

Murdoch, who is 28 years old and has styled himself as a fashion enthusiast claiming to resemble icons like Prince and Gianni Versace, admitted to police that his motives were simply to 'cause a drama for no reason.' His actions included the use of a fabricated online persona named Alison Dubois, a name borrowed from a celebrity psychic, which he used to send menacing messages to the women. These messages contained references to cancer, car crashes, and other disturbing content, aimed at intimidating and distressing his targets.

Among the threats he issued was a direct statement to one victim, warning, 'Your dog is getting shot.' This chilling remark was part of a broader pattern of harassment that also involved derogatory comments about their appearance and sexual orientation. Murdoch's online activity extended to a pseudonymous account called Carrotexterminatorrrrrrr, from which he continued his campaign of abuse. He also made disparaging remarks about Perth College, where both women had studied, and even tagged celebrity Lady Gaga, whose fanbase is known as 'little monsters,' in one of his posts.

In addition to the threatening messages, Murdoch made cruel comments such as 'Go die,' 'Your Perth College sucks,' and wished ill health upon others, including wishing that carrots would get cancer. His language was often offensive and aggressive, including insults like 'fat ugly c***' and vile comments about the victims' family members, including a remark about one woman's mother being a cancer patient and telling her to 'die in hell.'

During police interviews, Murdoch confessed to setting up the fake accounts, explaining that his intent was merely to 'cause drama for no reason.' His actions had a significant impact on the victims, with one describing how the harassment severely affected her college experience, causing stress, anxiety, and a decline in academic performance. She recounted how the messages arrived unpredictably, often in bursts, and how she had to take screenshots as evidence of his relentless online presence. Eventually, the victim felt compelled to involve law enforcement after blocking multiple accounts proved insufficient to stop the abuse.

Murdoch, who originally hails from Bosnia, was charged with engaging in a course of conduct that caused fear or alarm through repeated offensive messages, threats, and derogatory remarks. The court heard that he had also created false profiles and usernames to facilitate his harassment. Despite being ordered to appear at Perth Sheriff Court for sentencing, Murdoch did not attend, citing in a letter that it would not be in his best interests. Previously, he had been excused from court appearances due to anxiety and agoraphobia. As a result, he was fined £500 in his absence.

Sheriff Wyllie Robertson commented on the case, noting that Murdoch’s letter was 'not in the most satisfying terms' and that there was support for dealing with his actions through a financial penalty. The court proceedings highlighted the serious nature of online harassment and its profound effects on victims, emphasizing the importance of accountability for such conduct.