Musselburgh woman threatened to have ex-partner 'done in'

Lindsay Isherwood sent two threatening or abusive voice messages to the man after she alleged he had been claiming child benefits for three of their children instead of the two who were living with him.

In the messages, Isherwood, of Pinkie Drive, told her ex-partner she would have him assaulted and called him “a spaz”.

The 38-year-old appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last Friday, where she pleaded guilty to the offence committed in June last year.

Fiscal depute Peter Motion told the court that at the time of the offence Isherwood and the man had been living apart for “around three years”.

Mr Motion said that Isherwood’s ex-partner was at home at about 12.55pm on June 13 when he received two WhatsApp voice messages from the accused.

The messages alleged the man was illegally claiming benefits for all three children and that she would have him “done in”.

A second similar message arrived five minutes later containing more threats.

Isherwood’s solicitor told the court that his client suffered from depression and was bipolar; she was currently unemployed.

He added that the older child of the three had been living with Isherwood and the messages came as a result of her former partner allegedly claiming benefits for all three children.

The brief said that Isherwood saw this move as an attempt “to stop her seeing the two [other] children”.

Sheriff Peter McCormack told Isherwood: “The offences happened nine months ago and as no other matters have arisen I will admonish you on this charge. But if this sort of thing happens again you should not expect this type of disposal in the future.”

Isherwood pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by sending voice messages to her former partner in which she acted in an aggressive manner, swore, uttered abusive remarks and uttered threats of violence towards him at Pinkie Road, Musselburgh, on June 13 last year.