A serial sex offender bombarded his former fiance with letters threatening to publish explicit images of her while he was behind bars.
Elgin’s Matthew Watson was first locked up at the end of 2014 for indecent communication and behaviour with a child.
But, within weeks of his release, further contact with a minor landed him in Glasgow’s Barlinnie prison for four months.
The 31-year-old’s three-year relationship with Chloe Lister ended, soon after details of his crimes emerged in November, 2014.
But Elgin Sheriff Court yesterday heard that Watson refused to accept the couple were no longer engaged.
Watson, of 14 Birkenhill Place in Elgin, carried out a twisted campaign between February 21 and September 2 last year when Ms Lister continued to rebuff him.
Fiscal Kevin Corrins said: “He began sending letters, which at times attempted to reconcile with the complainer, but the frequency of them caused her some annoyance.
“They became more hostile, and several intimated that the accused would distribute video and photographs of her which were of a sexual nature.”
The court heard that Watson was eventually detained on September 10 last year.
He admitted causing his former partner fear and alarm by sending letters from jail and his Elgin address, despite being asked to refrain, threatening to publish indecent images of her and “repeatedly telephoning her”.
His solicitor, Matthew O’Neill, said Watson was “aghast and extremely remorseful”.
Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov said she had been persuaded against sending Watson back to prison, and ordered him to perform 240 hours of community service in the next year.
She also issued a three-year non-harassment order in relation to Ms Lister.