A 36-year-old woman has admitted stalking a former lover by pretending to be pregnant for months and wearing a prosthetic baby bump as part of the ruse.
Jaclyn McGowan kept up the bizarre pretence for nine months as she tried to dupe the man's family into believing she was carrying his child. She repeatedly approached members of his family to discuss her "baby" and turned up at his brother's workplace appearing to be heavily pregnant.
Perth Sheriff Court was told today that McGowan had purchased a fake baby bump which she was wearing under her clothing at the time. McGowan's deception was so detailed that she had even given the non-existent baby a name and was discussing due dates with various people.
She admitted that between 1 June 2019 and 29 February last year she engaged in a course of conduct which caused fear or alarm to a man and members of his family.
McGowan, from Rattray, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, admitted pretending to Jamie Aitken that she was pregnant with his child during the bizarre sequence of events. She sent him a picture of a cot and requested he give her £300 to pay for it, and advised him that she was having miscarriages.
She sent him numerous messages to say he would play no part in her baby's life and then she contacted his mother Wendy Aitken. McGowan told Mrs Aitken she was pregnant with her grandchild and sent scan photos and details of fictitious pregnancy-related appointments to her.
McGowan, who had a very brief relationship with Mr Aitken last summer, told his mother her son would not attend pre-natal appointments with her.
McGowan also went on to tell Mrs Aitken that the baby would be her grandson, was going to be called Noah, and was due to be born on 28 March 2020.
She carried on the act by telling Mrs Aitken she would be able to play a part in bringing her 'grandson' up after his birth. McGowan targeted other members of the family and told Corrie Aitken that she was carrying his brother's unborn child.
She admitted turning up at Corrie Aitken's workplace - Ryze Trampoline Park in Dundee - and telling him that he could 'play a part in the boy's life.' McGowan, who was not present in court yesterday, admitted turning up at the trampoline park 'whilst wearing a prosthetic baby bump.'
Solicitor Mike Tavendale told the court: "She now enters a plea of guilty to the amended charge. Looking simply at the terms of the libel, this is a case which will require reports."
He said his client had a number of issues, while fiscal depute Lisa Marshall confirmed that McGowan had no previous convictions.
Sheriff Neil Bowie said: "I can see it is an unusual charge in itself. Sentence will have to be deferred for a criminal justice social work report."
McGowan, who had appeared and pled not guilty at an earlier hearing, was ordained to appear for sentence next month.
