A COUNTY man has been banned from contacting his former partner after bombarding the woman with threatening messages after the couple split up.

George Robertson, 56, was with the woman for about three months before the pair ended their relationship in July 2022.

Following the break-up, Robertson began repeatedly contacting the woman through various social media platforms including Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, and also by text message.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told that Robertson left Facebook voicemails for the woman and she was forced to block his online profile after he turned up at her home to collect some of his belongings on July 8.

The court heard that Robertson, of Meadowbank, Ormiston, left one message stating “you should have changed the locks”, which was said to have left the victim “frightened and afraid he would attend the house”.

Fiscal depute Mark Keane said that Robertson continued to contact his ex-partner by sending her text messages until July 18, when she was forced to block his phone number.

The court was told that the woman then decided to contact the police to report the harassment.

'No comment' interview

Police attended at Robertson’s home later that year and, during a subsequent meeting with officers, he was said to have provided a ‘no comment’ interview.

Robertson was cautioned and charged in October 2022 and he appeared at the Capital court last Thursday, where he pleaded guilty to an amended charge of engaging in a course of conduct which caused his former partner fear and alarm.

Lawyer Kenny Woodburn, representing Robertson, said that his client had no previous convictions and that the “relationship is over” and he was accompanied to court by his new partner.

Mr Woodburn added that Robertson had been signed off work for the past 12 months.

Sheriff Peter McCormack issued Robertson with a fine of £380 and handed out a non-harassment order which banned him from having any contact with his former partner for the next 12 months.

Robertson pleaded guilty to engaging in a course of conduct which caused fear and alarm by repeatedly contacting his former partner through various social media platforms and sending threatening messages to her by text between July 5 and 18, 2022.