A company director has been ordered to stay away from his former partner after mercilessly stalking her for seven months following the end of their relationship.
Edmund Speakman, 34, repeatedly contacted the woman by phone, text and email and even turned up outside her home, despite the woman begging him to stop.
During one disturbing incident, the woman returned home and was feeding her cat outside when she saw Speakman scaling her garden fence.
Speakman’s solicitor told Aberdeen Sheriff Court his client now understands that the behaviour was “completely unacceptable”.
Made 72 calls to ex
Fiscal depute Brooklyn Shaw told the court that during their more than three-year relationship, the couple had split up around 40 times but had gotten back together.
However, in July 22 last year, the woman split with Speakman for what she considered to be the final time.
Soon after, the woman realised that she had been sent a 1p bank transfer by Speakman, who followed up with a text message stating that he had “£365 left in this account so I can send 36,500 messages”.
The woman was forced to block him as Speakman then called her 72 times between July 12 and July 21 last year.
When she unblocked the number, she found he had also sent her “numerous” text messages and emails to her personal and work accounts.
On another occasion, Speakman appeared at her front door with flowers, which he persistently asked her to take.
Speakman waited outside her home
Weeks later, as the woman exited a taxi following a night out, she saw Speakman who’d been “seemingly waiting for her to return”.
He stated to her: “I can’t believe you’re doing this – it’s only been two weeks.”
To which she replied: “Oh my God, you have to stop doing this. You have to leave me alone.”
The woman then went into her home and out the back door so she could feed her cat.
It was at that point she saw the Speakman climbing over her back fence.
As she rushed inside, Speakman managed to put his foot in the door to prevent it closing. He did, however, eventually leave the property.
Following this, the woman contacted the police who cautioned and charged Speakman.
Appearing in the dock, Speakman pleaded guilty to one charge of engaging in a course of conduct that was intended to cause fear and alarm to his former partner.
‘Completely unacceptable conduct’
Defence solicitor Ian Woodward-Nutt described the relationship between his client and his former girlfriend as “unusual” as it could be “characterised by one ending the relationship and the other encouraging them to begin it again”.
“He’s a man who has struggled with his mental health and has had physical issues,” the solicitor said.
“Mr Speakman was previously self-employed and this left him in a difficult financial position.
“It was this, and the very unusual circumstances of the ending of his relationship, that caused him to take part in what he recognises was completely unacceptable conduct.
“He also accepts that it would be particularly upsetting for him to appear at the complainer’s home.
“Mr Speakman knows the relationship is over and there is no likelihood of reconciliation.”
‘You did not seem to listen to your former partner when she said no more’
Sheriff Rory Bannerman told Speakman that the description of his offences was “troubling”.
“You did not seem to listen to your former partner when she said no more,” the sheriff said.
“I feel that an order has to be put in place in place so you will learn from this.
“This was a lengthy pattern of behaviour that lasted seven months.”
Sheriff Bannerman made Speakman, of Burnett Drive, Aberdeen, subject to a community payback order with supervision for 14 months.
The sheriff also put a non-harassment order in place, meaning Speakman cannot approach his former partner for 14 months.
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