A MAN threatened to send explicit images of his ex-partner to her work and claimed to have sent videos to her father after she ended their relationship.

David Shields, of Champigny Court, Musselburgh, sent abusive and threatening messages by text, email and on social media to the woman after she split up with him.

Shields sent messages which stated he had images of a sexual nature of the woman and that he would distribute them on to others.

The father-of-two also called the woman “a ****ing slut” in the disturbing messages and stated that “no other ****er will touch you anyway”.

Fiscal depute Anna Robertson told the court that Shields goaded the woman by claiming “I hope your dad enjoyed the videos I sent” and threatened to send the images to her place of employment.

He also said he would be prepared “to go to jail for her” and told her “just to watch [out]” and that he “did not care if she contacted the police”.

Shields pleaded guilty to engaging in a course of conduct in November last year that caused the woman fear and alarm when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last Friday.

Shields’ solicitor said that his client had been off work with depression since his arrest in December last year and was also suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

The lawyer added that Shields, 43, had now left his employment as a team leader with a homeless families organisation and was currently volunteering with a firm that worked with children excluded from school.

He added that Shields’ conduct came about after his ex-partner ended the relationship unexpectedly as the couple were about to embark on a holiday to Sicily.

Sheriff Peter McCormack decided to defer sentence for 12 months for Shields to be of good behaviour and told him to stay away from the woman throughout that period of time as part of his bail conditions.

Sheriff McCormack said: “It so happens that a breach of special bail conditions has a higher sentence than a breach of a non-harassment order.

“So there is that sanction hanging over you if there should be a breach of bail conditions.”

Shields admitted engaging in a course of conduct which caused his ex-partner fear and alarm by repeatedly sending unwanted emails, text messages and social media messages to her, including emails which contained abusive remarks and threats to distribute explicit images of her to others, at an address at Campie Road, Musselburgh, between November 16 and 25 last year.