The owner of a failed wedding company has admitted a string of controlling domestic abuse spanning THREE relationships.
Craig Drummond was slammed by a sheriff for taking “little, if any, responsibility”, for his vile actions, which included constantly demanding to know where his partners were and who they were with.
The 35-year-old’s pattern of abusive and controlling behaviour spanned several relationships and many years, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
He even created an OnlyFans account using one of his ex’s email addresses and demanded to know why another had unplugged CCTV cameras he had installed when they lived together.
Drummond “struggled to deal with” the stress and backlash of his firm, Drummond Events, having a “very public downfall“, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
Fiscal depute Ann Mann said Drummond was in a relationship with the first of his victims between October 2020 and December 2021.
The relationship was initially “normal and healthy” and the pair began a business together, with Drummond in charge while the woman was the sole director and financial backer.
While living together in Banchory, Drummond installed CCTV cameras, claiming they were for the security of business materials.
Ms Mann said: “Over the next few months the accused’s behaviour changed and the relationship terminated.”
Drummond moved out but sent the woman “repeated abusive messages”.
He also made threats to harm himself and demanded to know why the woman had unplugged the CCTV cameras at her home.
Aggressive demands for money
Between December 2021 and November 2022, Drummond repeatedly requested money from business accounts, claiming it was for business purposes.
The woman “felt pressure to agree to his demands” and was “bombarded with excessive amounts of calls and messages” if she did not reply.
Ms Mann told the court: “The accused would also regularly question the complainer regarding her whereabouts and who she was with.
“The accused would insist she was lying and would request she send him pictures to prove where she was.
“This made her very uncomfortable.”
In March 2023, Drummond began sending her “aggressive” messages demanding money and warning: “You’re going to end up suffering as the business is in your name.”
Without a hint of irony, Drummond also told her: “I hope you’re happy with the control you have over me.”
The matter was eventually reported to the police.
Drummond’s second victim was in a relationship with him between March 2022 and November 2022.
After six months, he moved in with the woman in Alford but things began to turn sour when she told him she was going on a night out with friends.
Ms Mann said: “The accused became upset and said he didn’t want her to go.
“He insisted he drop her off and pick her up, making her feel he was paranoid.”
Drummond signed up ex to OnlyFans
Following the end of the relationship, Drummond would still regularly phone the woman.
In November 2022, the woman began struggling with her own mental health and advised she did not wish to continue the friendship, but Drummond repeatedly called and messaged her asking why.
Just after Christmas that year, the woman received an email from OnlyFans, an online subscription service primarily used by sex workers, asking her to verify her email.
A further email from the site included Drummond’s name.
Ms Mann told the court: “He admitted he’d done it but failed to say why.”
On Hogmanay, the woman was out with friends and Drummond called her 27 times until she answered.
He repeatedly questioned where she was, making her upset and angry.
When she told him she was at home, Drummond replied: “No you’re not.”
Footprints in the snow
He advised she knew she wasn’t home as her dog was shut in her living room, which was normal practice when she was out.
He also asked where her car was as it wasn’t in her driveway.
During the early hours of New Years Day, the woman got home and found footprints in the snow from her garden gate to her backdoor.
When challenged, Drummond admitted he had been at her address.
Drummond’s third victim was in a relationship with him from April 2023 until the end of May 2023.
In the final stages of the relationship, Drummond began being abusive towards her, shouting and swearing at her on several occasions.
While living together on the Isle of Skye, Drummond would repeatedly ask her about who she was with and where she was going, while continuing to make abusive comments which affected her mental health.
The woman reported her concerns to the police.
The court heard each of the three women was in favour of a non-harassment order being imposed.
Drummond pled guilty to three charges engaging in a course of conduct which was abusive of his partner or ex-partner.
Failed businessman had ‘public downfall’
His address was given in court papers as Blackcraig Road, Cruden Bay, but defence agent Sian Grant said Drummond now lived in Huntly with his new partner.
She said: “The social work report gives a detailed account by Mr Drummond of his recollection of these events.”
Sheriff Shelagh McCall KC interjected: “I’m going to generously say he doesn’t accept full responsibility.
“If I was being ungenerous, I’d say it’s not consistent with his guilty pleas.
“Am I to proceed to sentence based on the Crown’s version of events or some other version, in which case I will need to ask the fiscal depute for her views on?”
Mrs Grant asked the court to proceed based on the Crown’s narrative.
She advised the offences were committed against a background of Drummond’s mother passing away in 2014 and a breakdown of his marriage around the same time.
Legal costs around that and a fight for child access led to financial problems.
Mrs Grant said Drummond had run a “very successful” events business which then had a “very public downfall” due to the financial difficulties.
She advised Drummond struggled to cope with the stress and backlash from that.
In 2017, The Press and Journal reported Trading Standards had launched an investigation into Drummond Events after allegations were made that the firm had pulled out of dozens of wedding ceremonies – despite pre-paid arrangements.
Drummond was forced to apologise as dozens of angry customers took to social media to voice their frustration.
The lawyer said Drummond was now in a “much better place”.
‘You appear to take little, if any, responsibility’
Sheriff McCall KC told Drummond: “This sort of controlling behaviour is taken very seriously by the courts.
“It can cause lasting psychological harm to your victims.
“You appear to take little, if any, responsibility for your behaviour.
“You persisted in it over three relationships and a number of years which is a serious matter.”
She ordered Drummond to be supervised for 15 months and to complete 144 hours of unpaid work.
The sheriff also imposed five-year non-harassment orders in respect of each of the women.
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