A Nairn man who already had a girlfriend but became “besotted” by a supermarket assistant was yesterday banned from entering the store or contacting her for two years.
At an earlier hearing at Inverness Sheriff Court, James Colquhoun admitted stalking the young woman over a period of more than five months and sentence was deferred for a background report.
The court was told the 29-year-old Nairn man filmed her on his mobile phone, stared at her, made sexual remarks and asked for her phone number between June 1 and November 16 last year.
Fiscal depute Michelle Molley told Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood there had been no relationship between Colquhoun, of 13 Viewfield Apartments, and his victim and she did not know him.
She said: “On November 13, he entered the store, again staring at her. He returned and took out his mobile phone and began filming her. She was distressed and reported it to her manager.
“Three days later he came back and took out his phone again.”
Colquhoun’s defence solicitor, Ken Ferguson saiod: “He developed a habit of popping into the store for alcohol while he was under the influence of alcohol and behaved inappropriately.
“He will not behave in this fashion again towards this lady or any other and is taking steps to modify his alcohol intake.”
Ordering Colquhoun to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and imposing a non harrassment order for two years, including the ban, the Sheriff told him: “This woman had legitimate concerns about your behaviour.”