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Man bombarded ex-girlfriend with letters, flowers and abusive e-mails

Christopher Elrick
Christopher Elrick

A man who bombarded his ex-girlfriend with unwanted flowers and letters and a string of abusive e-mails has been admonished after a court heard he had lost the “love of his life”.

Christopher Elrick stalked Lesley Michie over the course of 10 days last year after she ended their long-term relationship.

The 31-year-old repeatedly turned up uninvited at her home in the city’s West End between May 24 and June 3 last year, causing her to become scared and alarmed, Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard.

He also called and attempted to phone her as well as sending her abusive e-mails, letters and flowers.

Yesterday Elrick, of 18 Nellfield Place, Aberdeen appeared to be sentenced having previously admitted his conduct towards Ms Michie when he went on trial earlier this year.

The court heard that Ms Michie had to go through a significant amount of her evidence, and was clearly distressed throughout the process, before he admitted what he had done and finally tendered a guilty plea.

Representing the former Aberdeen University student, solicitor Andrew Ormiston asked Sheriff Kenneth Stewart to consider imposing an absolute discharge in this “unusual case”.

He said that Ms Michie had made it “clear” in her evidence that she did not want matters to get “this far” but said his client “just would not take no for an answer”.

He said: “He was effectively a fool for love. He had been in the relationship with the complainer for a significant period of time. He was trying to ascertain whether the relationship was over or not.

“This court procedure has had a profound affect on him. He recognises that the relationship is over and as a result of this it has made him reluctant to look for another relationship.

“He was extremely hurt by the end of this relationship. He loved the complainer in this case a great deal and for him he felt he was going to spend the rest of his life with her.”

Mr Ormiston said that Elrick had lost his job earlier this year and believed a criminal conviction would hinder him from finding work in the future.

He added: “He is 31 and has not been receiving benefits. He has chosen not to apply for benefits because he is keen to find work soon.

“He has no previous convictions and this is the only matter to call before the criminal court. It is his intention never to appear before the courts again.

“I would submit that this is a rather unusual set of circumstances and that further punishment would be inexpedient.”

However, the sheriff said absolute discharges were very rare and said that he felt in this case it was not merited.

Sheriff Stewart said: “The guilty plea was tendered to the charge of sending abusive e-mails. She [the complainer] went into the witness box and it was only when he saw her distress that he then did the decent thing and accepted that his behaviour was not appropriate”.

The sheriff said that as he had been of good behaviour since the incident he was willing to admonish him of the charge.