A man who entered his former partner’s home in Shetland last year has been fined £200.
James Lister, of Chestnut Avenue, Immingham, narrowly avoided being given a non-harassment order when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court yesterday.
The 33-year-old previously pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear or alarm on August 6 by attending the property, banging on the door and windows and entering uninvited.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said Lister saw his former partner on a night out and tried to speak to her, but he was not made welcome.
The woman left “fearful” that he might try to enter her home, so she locked her house.
Lister’s former partner went to bed, but she was awoken by “persistent” knocking before hearing the patio door, which was unlocked, open.
She repeatedly told him to leave the property and he only eventually left after she gave him an “ultimatum” which could have resulted in her calling the police.
Mr Mackenzie said he wanted to place Lister, who lives in England, on a non-harassment order relating to the woman for 18 months.
Defence agent Tommy Allan, however, said that his client had no intention to visit Shetland again and had already spent a number of months under special bail conditions prohibiting contact.
He said Lister had “wanted to set the record straight” on the night and now realises he made an error of judgment.
Mr Allan continued to say that his client lost his job as an engineer as a result of the incident, as well as his fiancee, and got into a “huge” amount of debt.
Sheriff Philip Mann said he would not impose a non-harassment order because Lister had already complied with similar bail conditions.
He warned him that if ever caused any more upset for the woman then he will be “dealt with severely”.