PERTH MAN FINED FOR RELENTLESS ABUSIVE TEXT MESSAGES TO EX-GIRLFRIEND
Graeme Ayton, aged 45, was convicted of sending an excessive number of abusive and threatening text messages to his ex-girlfriend Gail Marshall.Over a 24-hour period last September, Ayton bombarded her with nearly 200 messages, many of which contained insults like calling her a "slut" and a "whore" as well as threats such as wishing she would stop breathing.
The relationship had ended four months earlier, in May 2013, but Ayton continued to harass her through relentless messages.
At Perth Sheriff Court, he received a fine of £750 for his actions, which equates to almost £5 per message sent.
This was in addition to a previous fine of £300 for similar offending after their breakup in May 2013.
Prosecutor Stephanie Ross stated that the relationship lasted 12 months, ending in May 2013, after which contact was mainly through texts.
The messages escalated from initially amicable to abusive, with Ayton repeatedly calling Gail offensive names and expressing violent wishes for her wellbeing.
He continued to message her even after she asked him to stop, causing her significant distress, leading her to involve the police.
Ayton was arrested, claiming that she had been texting him abusive messages in return, describing their communications as "tit-for-tat." Nonetheless, he admitted to sending a large volume of grossly offensive messages.
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis remarked, "You are 45.
Bearing in mind your age, goodness knows what was going through your mind," emphasizing the gravity of his misconduct.
