News / Supervision for stalking family
A MAN who stalked his own mother and sister over a 10-month period last year has been placed under supervision and given a non-harassment order.
Ryan Galbraith, of Lerwick’s Sandveien, previously admitted causing fear or alarm to them between 1 January and 22 October at various locations in the town and Scalloway.
The 24 year old persistently attempted to contact them by phone, as well as sending text messages and leaving voicemails of a threatening nature.
On one occasion, he approached his mother at the Co-operative supermarket in Lerwick, shouted and swore at her and spat on her car.
On another occasion he approached her vehicle in the car park of the Tesco supermarket and pushed a shopping trolley towards it before attempting to strike the car with the trolley.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said there was “clearly a troubled relationship” between the three parties and any contact between them “invariably leads to acrimony”.
He suggested Galbraith should be placed under an 18-month non-harassment order prohibiting contact with the complainers as his actions had a “significant impact” on them.
Defence agent Gregor Kelly said his client had a “difficult upbringing” which had been exacerbated by his drug misuse.
He said Galbraith, who wants to be completely drug-free and in employment, had been making good progress and was receiving support.
Sheriff Philip Mann said that the behaviour was “wholly out of order” and had caused a “great deal of distress”.
While he acknowledged there may have been underlying issues relating to his upbringing, the sheriff warned Galbraith that he has to act in an “adult fashion”.
In addition to the supervision and the non-harassment order, both of which will run for 18 months, Galbraith was ordered to continue to engage with substance misuse staff and the council’s care team.
The sheriff added that Galbraith’s family could ask for the non-harassment order to be reviewed if they wanted to “repair” their relationship.
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