Aberdeen politician Kirsty Blackman has spoken of her relief after a stalker who bombarded her with “creepy” emails has been ordered to stay away from her for the next three years.
Jack Muchemi sent increasingly sinister emails to the Aberdeen North MP and even travelled hundreds of miles from his home in England to try to meet her in person.
Muchemi, 29, was also ordered to stay away from a second victim, an Aberdeen doctor, who he stalked in his car.
Muchemi sent Ms Blackman around 20 emails over a three-month period, including one that contained the Lord’s prayer and another that suggested she get a back tattoo.
Muchemi, from Barking, East London, also told the MP he would come “looking for her” in Aberdeen.
He was arrested by police when he arrived in Aberdeen.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how Muchemi sent numerous emails to Ms Blackman between July 28 and October 4 2019 and forwarded her news stories concerning Greta Thunberg and Donald Trump.
However, a number of more sinister messages followed, including ones where he told Ms Blackman she was “under investigation”.
The Aberdeen MP, who spends much of her time in Westminster, said the tone of the emails sent by Muchemi had become “increasingly creepy”.
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Speaking after the case, Ms Blackman praised the police for bringing Muchemi to justice.
She said: “The whole situation has been very scary and it is good to be at the end of it – it is a relief at this point.
“The police were excellent and were awaiting his arrival in Aberdeen.”
The court also heard how Muchemi stalked a female doctor in Aberdeen between May 12 and May 17 2020 by following her in his car and asking her for a date.
He also told the woman she had a “beautiful body and a nice ass”.
‘His social skills are almost at base level’
Muchemi’s defence solicitor, Stuart Flowerdew, told the court that his client assumed he and the woman would share a “kinship” as they were both black.
The lawyer described Muchemi as an isolated figure who struggles to “form relationships” and has “very little support network”.
He said: “His social skills are almost at base level and he doesn’t really have an ability to empathise and doesn’t really have a strategy of how he deals with relationships or enters into social interactions.
“I think he was trying to broker some sort of relationship or friendship but lacks the skills to be able to do that.
“There’s something of a gap in his understanding of what those circumstances might have meant to each of the complainers in the two charges.
“But there was no harm meant to any of the individuals concerned.”
Muchemi was found guilty after a trial to one charge of causing needless anxiety to Ms Blackman by persistently sending her repeated emails to her inbox and to her constituency office.
He also admitted stalking the doctor by repeatedly following her in his car and making comments about her appearance.
An additional charge of failing to comply with road signs was also admitted by Muchemi.
Sheriff orders accused to stay away from both women
Sheriff Joseph Platt stated that any court order would have to take account of the fact that there wasn’t much distance between Ms Blackman and Muchemi “during much of her working week” in London.
He added: “I am of the view that the punitive element is essential because I do want to ensure that any member of the public that could be affected by his behaviour is protected.”
Sentencing Muchemi, Sheriff Platt said: “You admitted an offence that caused fear and alarm to the woman involved and in the communications act offence you were found guilty of communicating with a woman in a way that caused distress.
“Ms Blackman is clearly known to you and at certain times you will be able to know where she is.”
The sheriff put a non-harassment order in place barring Muchemi from approaching Ms Blackman for three years.
An additional three-year non-harassment order was put in place in relation to the second woman
He also sentenced Muchemi, of Ripple Road, Barking, to a community payback order with 18 months of supervision.
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