A man flagrantly flouted a court order that he does not harass his ex-partner by sending her 160 voicemails in the space of 14 days.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told some of the messages left by 23-year-old Jason Murtha included threats of violence.
Sheriff William Summers warned him it would only be “a matter of time” before the court lost patience and jailed him if he carried on.
Fiscal depute Darren Harty told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “Between March 2 and 16 2020 the complainer contacted police having received 160 voicemail messages from the accused.”
He added the messages were received while a non-harassment order prohibited contact.
Officers attended and listened to some of the messages to confirm they were from Murtha.
He was traced and arrested and told officers he’d been drinking and “just wanted to speak to her”.
Murtha pled guilty to engaging in a course of behaviour that was abusive of his ex-partner and to breaching the non-harassment order.
‘You have just simply ignored this order’
Defence agent Jennifer Pritchard said there had been issues related to her client having contact with his children.
She explained this had a “significant impact” on his mental health, and he drank alcohol before “conducting himself in an entirely inappropriate way”.
Sheriff Summers told Murtha, of Raemoir Avenue, Banchory, the offences were “concerning”, highlighting that the messages were left in spite of a court order banning him contacting the woman.
He said: “You have just simply ignored this order.
“If you carry on doing this it’s only a matter of time before the court loses its patience and imposes a custodial sentence.”
Sheriff Summers handed Murtha a three-month curfew as a direct alternative to custody.
He also imposed a two-year non-harassment order banning Murtha from contacting the woman except through a third party in relation to their children.
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