A Forfar menace who had been locked up for sending worrying letters to a woman at his church then mailed more concerning correspondence to a different woman from his prison cell.
John Dunbar was remanded at Perth Prison after writing multiple letters, including one telling a woman he would not rape her.
However, from his cell, the 49-year-old began to stalk a local shop worker by sending her mail from jail.
Forfar Sheriff Court heard Dunbar had left letters for the first woman at the church they both attended but had written a different woman’s name on the envelope.
The woman had not attended church for some time and collected them weeks later.
In the first envelope, she found a three-page document from Dunbar, stating he would “never rape her” and “never force himself upon her.”
Dunbar made more references to rape and attempted rape and stressed he would never lay a hand on the woman, calling her “honey suckle bear.”
In his second letter, which was two pages long, he told the woman he thought she needed a massage.
Dunbar also made reference to the woman’s birthday date, which concerned her as she had never told him this.
He also said her partner was a “big bully” for not letting her wear tights or frocks.
The letter was signed “John xxx” and after writing PTO, he told the woman her partner was “a tiger.”
Locked up
The letters were written just three days after Dunbar had been made subject to a three-year community payback order (CPO) for an unconnected matter.
He was remanded and placed on the Sex Offenders Register.
Prison did not deter him and from inside the Edinburgh Road jail, Dunbar began to send correspondence to a local shop employee, who knew him as a nuisance customer.
The woman, who worked in a store in Forfar, received a first letter – addressed as being from John Dunbar, care of HMP Perth – on December 19.
Dunbar made reference in his first letter to her to lips and legs.
He added: “You’ll get a very special birthday card” and “You are the twinkliest star.”
The letter was signed “from John”, with six kisses.
The court heard it placed the woman in a state of fear and alarm, so she contacted police.
Another letter soon arrived, containing the message: “I hope you enjoy your Christmas.
“Are you going to change the colour of your hair this time?
“You would be a good mother.”
Dunbar then began writing the lyrics of a Christmas song.
‘Glacial’ progress on community order
Dunbar previously admitted communicating indecently with a woman at St Andrews Church in Arbroath on October 23 and stalking the shop worker between December 23 and 30.
He arrived at court with two support workers and sentencing was further deferred to monitor the progress of his CPO.
Solicitor Keith Sym said: “Mr Dunbar is subject to a CPO. He’s six months into that.
“What I would take from the report is that there’s progress but it’s glacial – it’s very slow.
“My Lord, having heard the narrative, will be alarmed as these ladies rightly were.
“This has to stop.
“This is a man with learning difficulties and it seems that the way that Mr Dunbar is going to become a more fully functioning member of society is by working with his doctor.
“He does have a lot of support.”
‘Gross breaches’
Dunbar is currently subject to bail conditions not to contact either woman.
A non-harassment order could be imposed when he is sentenced in four months.
Sheriff Mark Thorley said: “It struck me initially that this simply merited custody.
“If the CPO failed, clearly there would be no alternative here.
“It does appear things have settled down a bit since the turn of the year.
“I’d be fully entitled to send you to custody.
“Both are gross breaches of the CPO.
“That must have alarmed the (first) lady no end.
“The upset and alarm this must have caused must have been significant.”
Dunbar, of Thornton Place in Forfar, will remain on the Register and is due back in court on August 17.
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