A sheriff has expressed disgust over the nature of a string of offensive text messages a 59-year-old Angus man bombarded a woman with.
Forfar Sheriff Court was not told the precise nature of Brian Taylor’s problem with his victim, but Sheriff Kevin Veal was visibly appalled by the content of the profanity-ridden messages the Brechin man had sent.
Taylor, of St Andrew Street, had admitted a breach of the Communications Act 2003 between July 22 and 31 by sending messages to a woman that were grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character in that he did repeatedly swear, make offensive or threatening remarks and threaten violence.
Depute fiscal Therese Oswald said one batch of texts was sent over a 90-minute period late at night and was “extremely offensive stuff.”
Police became involved when the woman involved received one text from Taylor threatening he was going to take his own life.
Officers arrived at his house and found him under the influence of alcohol, but he told them he had no intention of self-harm.
He also told police, “I only did it to wind her up it was tit-for-tat.”StupidityDefence agent Brian Bell said the offence involved a “degree of stupidity.”
“She never sent him any text messages, but she would telephone him and-whether intentionally or not-would wind him up,” the agent added.
Sheriff Veal said, “Those texts really were unacceptable-this is a man who will be 60 in March next year, what on earth is he behaving like this for?
“The one thing about the report that concerns me is that it describes him as not showing genuine remorse or empathy towards his victim.
“The choice of language is not acceptable-anybody in their right mind would not use such language.
“There is a record here, and the nature of the texts is quite unacceptable.
“If you have a mobile phone to communicate then to abuse the technology in this way is not part of civilised behaviour it is a non-starter,” added the sheriff.
He placed Taylor on probation for 18 months and ordered him to carry out 150 hours of community service.
As part of the sentence the accused must also undertake alcohol counselling and the Fergus programme for domestic offenders.