A jealous steroid-using ex who accused his former partner of cheating and later sent her unwanted derogatory messages has been told to pay his victim £2,000 compensation.
Christopher Byrne pled guilty to engaging in a course of behaviour which was abusive at a property in Cowdenbeath over a 21-month period.
The 33-year-old electrician appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court and was told by a sheriff his offending involved nearly two years of “effectively terrorising” the woman.
Told to delete Instagram followers
Procurator fiscal depute Azrah Yousaf told the court the relationship had been good but changed six months in when Byrne starting taking steroids.
The woman noticed he was becoming more short-tempered.
The fiscal depute said: “He believed she was looking at other men at the gym and accused her of cheating on him and asked her to delete followers on a social media site she had – an Instagram account. (These were) of people she did not personally know”.
The court heard on one occasion the pair had an argument and Byrne picked up a washing basket and repeatedly hit it off the floor, causing it to break into pieces.
Ms Yousaf said over the next few months “things began to get progressively worse” and the woman became “more frightened” of Byrne, who she described as being “unpredictable”.
On one occasion after they came home from a housewarming party, Byrne became angry and shouted at the woman she was a “sl*t” and said she was “ugly”.
In another instance after a disagreement, Byrne pushed her and she left the house.
Ms Yousaf said this “appeared to be the start of the end of their relationship”.
Sex video
The fiscal depute said the woman began receiving “multiple messages” from Byrne on social media and, when she blocked him, he would change his account and continue to make comments about her on social media.
The fiscal said: “He would send messages to the account calling her a “fat sl*t”, “f***ing loser” and a “tramp”.
Ms Yousaf said he later sent her a video of the two of them engaged in sexual activity.
The fiscal said the woman was aware the video had been taken but was concerned he had kept it.
Police were then contacted.
Defence lawyer Mr McIlwham stressed there was no suggestion his client, of Lilac Avenue in Clydebank, posted this video online or had threatened to do so.
Steroids ‘impacted behaviour’
The solicitor said a background report on Byrne was “very positive” in some respects, and that he exhibited a sufficient amount of remorse and regret and is “ashamed of his behaviour”.
The solicitor said: “By his own admission he started using steroids and is of the belief that impacted on behaviour and has subsequently reflected and decided not to do it again”.
Mr McIlwham said there was no suggestion of any forethought or planning and that Byrne, who is now in a new relationship, wants to offer his apology to his victim.
The lawyer said his client’s last conviction was more than five years ago.
History of violence
Sheriff Charles Macnair said Byrne’s first conviction in 2016 was on indictment for violence, and again in 2017 for violence.
Sheriff Macnair told Byrne: “You committed an offence of acting in a course of behaviour that was abusive towards your former partner over a period of almost two years.
“Two years of effectively terrorising her, and you say she was suffering from mental illness, and that makes it far, far worse, and you were taking drugs which you also suggest was a cause and that makes it far, far worse.
“You have a bad record, which includes violence at indictment level and it does not appear community payback orders (CPOs) seem to prevent you offending.
“However, I am – just – prepared to impose such an order”.
Sheriff Macnair ordered Byrne to pay £2,000 compensation to the woman and to carry out 270 hours of unpaid work and placed him on offender supervision for three years.
A five-year non-harassment order was also made concerning his victim.
The sheriff warned Byrne, who is soon moving to Lime Place in Uddingston, that if he breached the order he will return to court and “almost certainly” be jailed.
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