JAMES FINN FROM FIFE SENTENCED TO 28 MONTHS FOR DOMESTIC ABUSE AND HARASSMENT

A man identified as James Finn, aged 38, has been sentenced to a prison term of 28 months following a series of disturbing acts of domestic abuse and harassment directed at his wife in Fife. The court heard that Finn engaged in a relentless campaign of intimidation, which included making a staggering total of 1,382 phone calls from behind bars over a period of six months. These calls were not merely persistent; they were also threatening in nature, with Finn repeatedly warning his wife that he would kill her if she did not respond to his communications.

In addition to the threats, Finn demanded that she answer his calls under duress, even threatening to go on a hunger strike if she refused. His accusations against her were constant, primarily accusing her of infidelity, which added to the emotional strain she endured. Finn’s threats extended beyond her, as he also issued warnings to her acquaintances, threatening violence if they did not comply with his demands. His behavior was characterized by a pattern of emotional manipulation and intimidation, often coupled with threats of self-harm or the end of their relationship.

Details from the court proceedings reveal that Finn was released from prison in early November of the previous year. Despite being given a non-harassment order intended to prevent further contact with his wife, he breached this order within a week of his release. Six days after breaching the order, Finn sent a letter instructing his wife to acquire a new SIM card for her mobile phone and to send him the new number using an alias. He also made a plea for her to send him some of her weekly disability payments, which she complied with by providing him with her new contact details. Following this, she was subjected to an onslaught of calls and voicemails from Finn.

By early this year, the woman took steps to protect herself by emailing Perth Prison to inform authorities of her intention to seek a divorce. The court confirmed that the divorce was finalized in March. Finn had previously pleaded guilty to engaging in a course of abusive behavior spanning from July 1 of the previous year to January 16 of this year, at HMP Perth and at an address in Ballingry. He also admitted to breaching the non-harassment order issued on November 6 of the previous year by repeatedly contacting his wife until February 6 of this year.

Finn appeared before Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court via video link from prison for sentencing. During the hearing, Sheriff Steven Borthwick noted concerns raised in a social work report, which highlighted Finn’s history of convictions and his inability to adhere to community-based restrictions. The report described Finn as someone with a demonstrated propensity to cause extreme harm to his intimate partners. The sheriff emphasized that Finn had shown a blatant disregard for court instructions in the past and expressed concern that he might do so again.

In light of these findings, Sheriff Borthwick sentenced Finn to 28 months in prison, with the sentence being backdated to November 12 of the previous year, the date of his remand. Additionally, Finn was banned from contacting his former wife for a period of five years, aiming to prevent further harassment and protect her from future harm.