Court / Man fined after admitting ‘serious and concerning’ domestic abuse offence

A MAN has been fined £900 and given a three-year non-harassment order after admitting engaging in a course of abusive behaviour against his ex-partner.

Karl Gilhespy, whose address was given as Cunningsburgh, admitted the charge at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Thursday.

The 39-year-old pleaded guilty to carrying out the behaviour between 31 December 2021 and 28 April this year at addresses in Lerwick and elsewhere.

The behaviour included repeatedly shouting and swearing at the woman, checking her mobile to establish who she had been in contact with and repeatedly sending and leaving her abusive, disparaging and degrading text and voice messages.

The charge also referenced to Gilhespy repeatedly loitering outside the woman’s home, following her and banging on the doors and windows of her house.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said the course of conduct began after the woman said she wanted to end their relationship.

“He did not accept that,” the court heard. “Against her better judgement the complainer succumbed to his pleas to continue their relationship.”

Mackenzie said the final incident in the course of behaviour saw the woman having to summon help – with the police then getting involved.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said his client no longer wanted any contact with the woman and would accept a non-harassment order, if required by Sheriff Ian Cruickshank.

He said “clearly the relationship went off the rails” and at that time his client was also facing other things in his life.

Allan said on some of the occasions Gilhespy was outside the woman’s house was because he was there to recover some of his belongings.

He added that his client was due to leave Shetland after the court case to return to the North East of England.

But he said Gilhespy had accepted “he has acted in a way he should not have”.

Sheriff Cruickshank said it was a “serious and concerning” offence.

He said any offence of coercive control and a course of abusive behaviour was unacceptable.