Muir of Ord man who pestered ex jailed as abusive and threatening behaviour revealed in Highland court
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A ROSS-SHIRE man who pestered the mother of his two children in contravention of a court orders was jailed for five months at Inverness Sheriff Court.
But Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald decided to also put 39-year-old Charles Maclennan of Tarradale Gardens, Muir of Ord, under 18 months of social work supervision because she recognised he may need some support on his release after a plea by his lawyer.
MacLennan appeared from custody to answer four different instances of disturbances which occurred between May 17, 2021 and November 26 last year and occasionally got emotional and angry as details of his offences were narrated to the court.
He previously pleaded guilty to four charges of abusive or threatening behaviour, two of breaches of an interdict not to contact his former partner and two offences under the Communications Act by sending menacing messages to his ex and another woman.
Maclennan, who formerly lived in Smithton in Inverness, also admitted a long list of previous convictions, some of which attracted terms of imprisonment.
One of the charges involved him having to be ejected twice from the Inverness Justice Centre on June 6 last year because he tried to confront a man and a woman who were being interviewed by a solicitor in the court building.
A prisoner custody officer twice pulled him away from the room and the first time she escorted him from the building, he returned a short time later to resume his tirade at the pair and he was thrown out again.
Another charge involved him shouting, swearing and making a racial remark towards a custody officer in a police cell at Burnett Road Police Station on November 26 last year.
He had been arrested for leaving his former partner a lengthy voice mail threatening to "rip her face off" despite an interedict being in place to prevent contact, fiscal depute Shamielah Ghafar told Sheriff Macdonald.
The court heard it was the second time he had tried to contact the mother of his children - the first between June 1 and 3 last year but she refused to engage with him. Maclennan then phoned the police to ask for assistance in getting in touch and when he was refused, he swore at the call centre officer.
Defence solicitor Jim Clarke, who had attempted unsuccessfully to get a psychological report on his client, told the court: "There are behavioural problems here as a result of alcohol abuse. But he has rid himself of his alcohol addiction.
"He apologises to the court for his earlier outbursts. Prison hasn't worked for him and something else should be tried."
Sheriff Macdonald told Maclennan that she had to impose a short custodial sentence because of the seriousness of some of the charges and his record. She also granted a 18 month long non harassment order to protect his former partner on his release.
