A terrified woman triggered her panic alarm when a man who was ordered to stay away from her defiantly turned up outside her work.
Mehdi Omid, 34, was already banned from going near the woman when a non-harassment order was imposed on August 17 last year.
However, Omid defied the restriction, leaving the woman so frightened that she activated the piercingly loud safety alarm in the middle of Aberdeen’s Union Street.
The stalker’s solicitor claimed his client was wearing headphones and was unaware that the woman was nearby.
But a sheriff didn’t consider Omid’s actions “accidental” and ordered that he be electronically tagged.
Omid approached woman three times
Fiscal depute Andrew McMann told the court that around 5pm on August 17 this year, the woman was walking along Union Street when she got a call from her partner, who was coming to pick her up, stating that he had seen Omid nearby.
The woman continued walking, but soon saw Omid walking towards her – passing her before going into a shop, exiting again, and walking towards her once more.
“The accused was almost in touching distance of the complainer,” Mr McMann explained.
“He then lingered in the area for a time before he was challenged by the complainer’s partner.
“As he went to walk towards the woman for a third time, she activated her panic alarm and the accused left the area.”
Mr McMann added that the woman had specifically bought the device in case she ever encountered Omid, of whom she was petrified.
In the dock, Omid pled guilty to one charge of breaching his non-harassment order by approaching the woman.
He also admitted to two other charges of breaching a court order by being on Union Street and Back Wynd.
Defence lawyer says client ‘wasn’t in physical contact’ with victim’
Defence solicitor Michael Horsman told the court his client “wasn’t actually in physical contact” with the female complainer in the case, adding that the breach of order “relates to one incident on one day”.
The solicitor added: “The accused’s position is that he wasn’t initially aware that the complainer was in the area and Mr Omid was wearing his headphones and turned to see what was going on.
“He knows he has no excuse for being on Back Wynd and Union Street but he knows someone who works in a shop near there.”
‘You knew she was there’
Sheriff Scott Manson told Omid: “You were aware of the order in question that you were not entitled to approach or contact the complainer.
“These were not accidental circumstances – you knew she was there.
“The court has to show its displeasure for your actions, and it is also necessary for me to consider the protection of the public and the complainer in this case.”
As an alternative to a prison sentence, Sheriff Manson made Omid, of Farmers Hall, Aberdeen, subject to an electronic tag through a restriction of liberty order for 15 weeks.
He also fined Omid £100 and put a non-harassment order in place, meaning he cannot approach the woman for three years.
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