A construction worker terrorised his ex-partner, sent her a series of chilling voicemails and draped clothes across the windscreen of her car emblazoned with the words “narcissistic lover” in black marker pen.
Christopher Fowler walked into his former girlfriend’s house in Perth uninvited and appeared at her window holding a hammer.
He made a series of threats to her and her son, telling them: “You have no idea what I am capable of.”
The 40-year-old appeared at the city’s sheriff court and admitted stalking his ex over several days in late 2022.
He was told his chances of avoiding jail were “remarkably slim.”
In 2010, Fowler was imprisoned after he forced his way into another ex-partner’s home in Edinburgh and was caught hiding under her bed.
Turbulent relationship
Fiscal depute Lora Apostalova told Perth Sheriff Court: “The accused and the complainer had been in a turbulent relationship for about eight years.”
Fowler was dumped on November 28, last year, after his girlfriend became fed up with the “on-off nature of their relationship,” the court heard.
Days later, Fowler walked into her house in the city’s Letham area, through a locked kitchen door.
He was told to leave, but returned later that day.
Ms Apostalova said: “A short time later, the accused called the complainer.”
Her son took the phone from her, told Fowler to “get lost” and hung up.
Later, Fowler sent a voicemail saying that he would go “toe to toe” with her son.
A follow-up voice note said: “I’m the reason you’re s***ting your pants right now. You have no idea what I’m potentially capable of.
“Well, you are about to f***ing find out.”
Hammer and knife
The court heard that later that afternoon, when the son left the house to go to the shops, Fowler walked in and sat next to his ex on the living room couch.
“She was scared as the accused appeared to be agitated,” said Ms Apostalova.
Fowler produced a hammer from his back pack.
“The accused sat back down with the hammer on his legs,” the fiscal depute said.
“The complainer asked him to leave again. At this point, he showed her a Stanley knife and said ‘I don’t need a hammer anymore.’
“He then left with the hammer.”
Appeared at window
A short time later, the son saw Fowler walking towards him carrying the hammer by his side.
“He was swinging it back and forth,” said Ms Apostalova. “As the complainer’s son walked towards him, the accused raised the hammer up to shoulder height.”
The man continued walking and lost sight of Fowler, before driving back to the house.
“At this point, the accused appeared at the window with the hammer,” the fiscal depute said.
“He shouted at him and challenged him to a fight.”
Fowler laughed and said he would get him “done for attempted murder”.
Later that evening, he sent another voice note: “If I ever see him or you on the street again I’m going to punch you in the face. Bang.”
‘Rubbed the wrong monkey’
About two weeks later, the son was woken by Fowler knocking on his window.
He looked outside, but couldn’t see anyone so went back to sleep.
That morning, his mum woke to 16 missed calls from an unknown number.
“She heard a knocking at a back room window,” said Ms Apostalova. “She went to the window and saw the accused’s face staring at her.”
Later, he sent her another voicemail: “I tell you what, this is going to get a hell of a lot worse.
“You have rubbed the wrong monkey up the wrong f***ing tree.”
The woman called the police.
Narcissistic lover
On another date, she received an image from Fowler showing a piece of clothing draped over the front windscreen of her car, parked outside her house.
On the clothes, Fowler had scrawled the words: “Narcissistic lover.”
Fowler was charged by police, held in custody and appeared in court the following day He was released on bail on condition that he stay away from his ex.
However, he breached his order by approached his former partner and throwing an orange plant pot at her car, leaving scratches on the windscreen.
He ran off, but then returned with another plant pot.
“I’ll keep coming back,” he said.
The woman received seven calls from an unknown number, then a voice note from Fowler that said: “I’m going to f***ing destroy you and kill you.”
Fowler pled guilty to engaging in an abusive course of conduct against his ex, causing her fear or alarm, between November 30 and December 13, last year.
He further admitting behaving in threatening or abusive manner at her home in Tweedsmuir Road on November 30.
Fowler also admitted breaching bail conditions.
His solicitor said he had been drinking heavily at the time, and had downed two bottles of Jack Daniels when he threw a plant pot at his ex’s car.
“He had absolutely no intention to cause harm or to scare his ex or her son,” she said.
Sheriff William Wood told Fowler: “Given the nature and persistence of your conduct, the prospect of a non-custodial sentence are remarkably slim.”
He deferred sentence until April 13 for background reports. Fowler, listed as a prisoner in Perth, was remanded in custody.
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