A man who refused to accept his relationship was over bombarded his estranged wife with dozens of calls and messages – and even a video of him serenading her.
Christopher Clark was ordered by the court to stay away from his former wife of eight years last October, though the pair could maintain contact for the sake of organising access to their child.
But the 35-year-old didn’t stop there and in June embarked on a 10-day campaign to win back his estranged wife’s affections.
Clark made no less than 29 calls to her – one lasting 89 minutes – between June 7 and June 18, and even resorted to calling from his gran’s landline when she wouldn’t pick up.
He also sent text and Whatsapp messages and the bizarre video of him singing along to a song.
‘Nae gonna bombard you with calls’
At first his wife was unsure who was texting her at 3.45am, as the first somewhat cryptic message read: “Well done but it’s too late (followed by three clapping emojis)”.
When she asked who it was he immediately called her and spent 89 minutes admitting to her that he was responsible for a string of offences she had reported to police officers at an earlier date.
This was followed by another messaging stating: “This is my number. Take care.”
In the days that followed he sent more messages, which went unanswered by his ex before the calls resumed. Police were contacted and his number blocked.
At this point, he began calling her from his grandmother’s landline, and when those calls also went unanswered he sent more messages through Whatsapp.
One read: “Dinnae worry I’m nae gonna bombard you with texts and calls. I’ve left a voicemail and will leave it in your court (followed by a heart emoji).
Next came a bizarre video of him singing along to a song in his car, followed by the message: “I want you by my side xxx.”
About a week later 16 calls were made to her in less than 24 hours.
‘It’s time to move on’
Clark appeared via videolink at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on Friday, where defence agent Alex Burn said: “The relationship was not always this bad. These calls were him setting up a profile to see whether she would engage with him, which she did. But he then started contacting her in a way which is accepted as being excessive.
“When a relationship is over, it’s over and it’s time to move on. Unfortunately he didn’t do that.”
Having admitted changes of stalking and breaching a non-harassment order, Clark, of Aberdeen’s Hayton Road, appeared for sentencing via videolink from HMP Grampian.
Sheriff David Clapham ordered he carry out 100 hours unpaid work, agree to supervision for the next two years and said he must take part in the Caledonian programme.