A Renfrewshire councillor is standing trial over allegations she made threats and stalked her neighbours.
Scottish Conservative and Unionist politician Jane Strang appeared at Paisley Sheriff Court yesterday and denies the charges against her.
Strang, of Anchor Avenue, Paisley, is accused of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner in Windsor Road, Renfrew, in 2019.
Strang, 59, is said to have shouted, swore, uttered threats and behaved in an aggressive manner on the street.
Strang’s trial got underway at Paisley Sheriff Court and witness Alanna Kyle gave evidence of how her local councillor left her feeling “intimidated and scared.”
Ms Kyle told how she was previously a neighbour of Strang’s parents in Windsor Road.
She told of an incident where she alleges the Tory councillor ran out of her parent’s house and began shouting and making threats towards her and her husband.
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Ms Kyle told the court: “Jane is the daughter of the couple who lived opposite me when I lived in Windsor Road.
“I knew Jane from being Alan and Jess’s daughter and things went from just living normally and saying hello before going to work to being under 24-hour surveillance.
“On August 2, we had just returned from holiday and my daughter went out to her car and the battery was flat so she text me to tell me that.
“Me and Edward, who was my husband at the time, headed home from where we were to jump-start her car.
“Edward took his car and drove it in front of my daughter’s car in order to jump start it.
“I had my back to the Strang’s house when councillor Jane Strang came running out of the house.
“I jumped out of my skin.
“She was at my side pointing her finger in my face.
“At first I got a fright and she told us her mum was in hospital and that her brother would be coming to pick them up – I assumed she meant her and her dad.
“Nobody owned a car in that house and I said we were just jump-starting the car and we would then move the car.
“But councillor Strang kept pointing in my face and swearing and making threats.
“They were mostly towards my husband but she was swearing, ‘He’s f*****g getting the sack on Monday. You will learn the hard way.
“My husband was employed by Renfrewshire Council and she was constantly saying that Oliver Reid was a personal friend of hers and that she could get my husband the sack.’
“I was quite teary afterwards. It was intimidating and I was scared.”
Ms Kyle told of occasions where she alleged Strang would take pictures and videos of her and her husband and would email Renfrewshire Council to make complaints regarding her husband’s hours of work.
Ms Kyle also told the court of other occasions where she alleges Strang to have behaved in a threatening or aggressive manner in Windsor Road.
The trial before Sheriff Suhkwinder Gill continues.
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