A court did not punish a police officer who admitted carrying out a nine-month period of domestic abuse against his former partner.
Cyber-crime specialist Andrew Caulfield, 47, admitted carrying out a sustained course of domestic abuse against a fellow police constable.
However, the first offender walked from Dundee Sheriff Court after being admonished.
The sentence – imposed after consideration of private background reports – means he has received no further punishment than having a criminal record.
The Dundee-based constable has been banned from contacting his former lover and also has been ordered to stay away from her street in the city as part of a non-harassment order.
Defence advocate Kris Gilmartin, in mitigation for Caulfield, had asked the court for sentence to be deferred for six months for his client to be of good behaviour.
He said this would allow Caulfield to start mental health treatment.
Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown instead admonished him.
She said: “This offence was in 2021.
“I have taken into account what has been said on your behalf and in the social work and medical reports which have been obtained.
“Taking all that into account and it is your first offence and given it took place in 2021, I will admonish you.”
Breached bail orders
The non-harassment order will last for two years.
He had previously been told to stay away from the woman and her address as part of bail conditions but he admitted ignoring the instructions before the case called earlier this year.
Caulfield also pled guilty to a second charge of breaching a bail order imposed at Dundee Sheriff Court on July 14 2020.
He admitted ignoring the court order for more than two months by failing to comply with a condition to stay away from the woman between August 29 and November 12 2020.
The court was told he had repeatedly contacted his colleague by phone and message and had met her on a number of occasions.
Unwanted cards and contact
The court previously heard Caulfield, from Dundee, ignored his former girlfriend’s pleas to leave her alone when she told him their relationship was at an end.
He admitted “acting in a coercive and controlling manner”.
He admitted he had refused to accept the relationship was at an end and repeatedly phoned, texted and emailed, despite his victim telling him she wanted no contact.
He admitted repeatedly turning up at her home uninvited and placing cards and letters through her letterbox.
He admitted warning a friend to stop contacting her and accepted he had an unwanted card delivered to her home in the city.
The officer had originally faced a charge of abusing the woman for two years.
After discussions with the Crown, his guilty plea to a reduced charge covering a shorter period of time was accepted before his scheduled trial date.
Incidents relating to six other locations in Dundee and Meigle, Perthshire, were removed from the charge.
It was originally alleged the abuse began on June 1 2019.
Police report
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We are aware of the outcome of the case and a report will be made to the Assistant Chief Constable for Professionalism and Assurance for consideration of conduct proceedings
“Police Scotland fully investigates all reports of violence against women and girls irrespective of who the perpetrator is.
“We are committed to continuing to work with our partners and support the right of women and girls to feel safe.
“We continue to review and refresh our strategy to tackle violence against women and girls in Scotland.”
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