A serial Dundee domestic abuser used social work threats to blackmail a woman whom court orders had banned him from contacting.
William Petrie tormented the woman for months and even got associates to call her on his behalf when he was remanded in HMP Perth.
He admitting a campaign of abuse and breaching strict non-harassment orders at Dundee Sheriff Court.
Petrie was told by a sheriff he would be made subject to a “significant custodial sentence” and a “very detailed non-harassment order.”
CCTV trap
In May 2021, Petrie was given a strict court order not to have any contact with his former partner, or to attempt to do so.
This was issued as he was jailed for a campaign of abuse which included phoning her more than 100 times in a day and sending her a photo of himself on a bridge after threatening suicide.
However, once he was back at liberty, he resumed contact with the woman.
You’ve just heard a harrowing narrative of facts. It’s hard to imagine a more sustained campaign.”
— Sheriff Gregor Murray.
Fiscal depute Gavin Burton told the court that in June 2021, the woman was having a drink with a friend at Dundee’s Market Bar and had gone out alone to smoke.
She heard a car horn and saw Petrie’s vehicle pull off from Gellatly Street in the direction of Dundee bus station.
The woman followed and the pair began speaking.
Petrie told her she had now been caught on CCTV speaking to him and the footage could compromise access to her child if social workers saw it.
Abuse continues
Over the next three months, he resumed a campaign of abuse towards the woman, including terrifying her while she was a passenger in his car later in June.
Just under a week after making contact with her, he threatened to crash the car while giving her a lift.
At the end of August, Petrie had a confrontation with the woman’s family at a property in Monifieth.
After calling her offensive names, he presented a metal pole outside the property and challenged a male relative of hers to a fight.
Just over a week later, he pushed the woman to the ground in a fit of rage and placed both hands on her throat.
Prison messages
Police were contacted and Petrie was remanded at Perth Prison.
However, he continued to bombard the woman with unwanted contact through associates.
From December until January, she received a string of messages from different people asking her to contact the accused.
Some of these came from complete strangers and others from known associates of Petrie’s.
He appeared from custody to admit the campaign of abuse, acting threateningly in Monifieth and breaching his non-harassment order both inside and outside of jail.
Sheriff Gregor Murray refused Petrie’s bail application and deferred sentence until November 2.
The sheriff said: “You’ve just heard a harrowing narrative of facts.
“It’s hard to imagine a more sustained campaign.”
Sheriff Murray said the previous convictions, non-harassment orders and the small time period between Petrie’s prison release and re-offending were all aggravating factors.
“I can tell you the outcome of this case will be a very significant custodial sentence and a very detailed non-harassment order,” he said.
In 2019, Petrie wept in the dock as he was jailed for a domestic assault, and later breaching bail conditions to steer clear of the then-teenager.
