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An offender was sent to prison after he failed to stay away from his former partner who he had threatened and harassed for over a year.

Appearing from custody via video link at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, John Downie, 36, had pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour – shouting, swearing,

climbing in a window, stamping on a glass bottle and seizing his partner’s mobile phone from her – at an address in Carmuirs Avenue, Camelon on December 4, 2021.

He also admitted engaging in a course of behaviour which was abusive of the same woman in Carmuirs Avenue and Lemettis Takeaway, Main Street, Camelon between January 1, 2021 and August 3, 2022.

Downie appeared from custody via video link at Falkirk Sheriff Court

His growing list of offences included a drink driving charge in Greenbank Road, Tamfourhill, on April 6 this year which he admitted. He gave a reading of 34 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, when the legal limit is 22 microgrammes.

He also breached his non harassment order by contacting his former partner at an address in Mansionhouse Road, Camelon on April 5, 2023.

Procurator fiscal depute Melissan Phillips stated the complainer and the accused had been in a relationship for 16 months – the complainer working in a fish and chip

shop.

It was stated Downie, 42 Hamilton Street, Camelon, would sometimes embarrass her in public and at work with the things he would say. He then began to send her text messages threatening self harm, posting a picture of a train station with the ominous words “next stop is hell”.

He would also shout abusive things at her in person, calling her a ”slag”. Another text message stated “Because of you I’m going to cut myself”.

Stephen Biggam, defence solicitor, said: “He is 36, but acting like a 16-year-old with his first love. The penny finally seems to have dropped that perhaps this is not a good relationship for him.”

Sheriff Simon Collins said there was no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence in this case. He revoked various Downie’s community payback orders and sentenced him to 20 months in prison back dated to April 14.

He was also banned from driving for 22 months.

Prison sentence for Camelon offender, 36, who acted like a love struck teenager