A former oil boss has claimed online posts from an employee he dismissed made the process of his business going into administration much worse.
Warren Anderson employed Wayne Ledingham at GOT Services and put him in charge of opening the company’s Houston office.
But he claims Ledingham harassed him online over an eight month period between May and December 2015 after he left the role in October the previous year.
Appearing at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday he claimed posts on LinkedIn had upset him at the time his business was going into administration.
The court heard Ledingham, aged 50, had shared two newspaper articles on the site documenting his difficulties.
Fiscal depute Kelly Mitchell asked him: “It was suggested to you that what Mr Ledingham was trying to do was publish articles to warn other businessmen not to do business with you.
“Do you perceive that that is what he was trying to do?”
Mr Anderson replied: “Yes absolutely.”
Miss Mitchell then asked: “What sort of effect was that having on you?”
He replied: “You are trying to deal with the situation of the business going down and on top of that you have got the judgement of other people.”
Colin Webster, who worked for Mr Anderson organising the accounts, was also asked to give evidence about the impact social media posts from Ledingham had on his boss.
He claimed he was “visibly upset” after seeing some of them.
Representing Ledingham, defence agent Paul Barnett asked whether anything in the articles posted on LinkedIn was factually inaccurate.
He accepted nothing was.
Legindham, of Farmers Hall in Aberdeen, denies the charge against him.
The trial, before Sheriff Margaret Hodge, continues.