A couple who tried to force their daughter's former boyfriend into the back of a car were told by a sheriff their actions were “incredibly stupid”.
Angela and Gary Paterson were "raging angry" during a stand-off, as they attempted to abduct him, a court heard.
The ex-boyfriend had been in “quite a toxic relationship” with their daughter and had been repeatedly visiting her property, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
During the dramatic incident on Low Shore, Macduff, Banffshire, on November 12, 2019, the victim was heard shouting for help - and at one point managed to flee to a nearby pub.
The 19-year-old had been in a relationship with their daughter but they had split up a couple of months before the abduction attempt.
Angela, 46, and Gary Paterson, 57, admitted attempting to abduct the man by seizing hold of him, dragging him towards the car and attempting to force him to enter the car while shouting and demanding that he enter the car.
Fiscal depute Katy Begg told the court the incident happened at the seafront with the victim walking along the street with a bloodied lip after being injured by another person.
He was heading to a pub in Macduff when the couple stopped their car next to him and attempted to push him inside the vehicle.
Ms Begg said: "Once the complainer reached the locus a car pulled up near to him. Both accused got out of the car, seized hold of him and tried to physically force him into the car.
"The complainer started screaming help' as loudly as he could, while the accused shouted at him demanding he get into the car.
"While a witness was driving nearby, she heard the complainer screaming in a very high-pitched voice, repeatedly calling out help.' The witness parked and got out of her car and walked over to investigate. She saw the private number plate of the car and she knew who owned it.
"It had its lights on and the engine was running. As she neared the scene, she saw the complainer struggling with the accused who were trying to force him into the rear seat of the car.
"From her vantage point, a few metres away, it was clear to this witness - who now recognised the accused - that they were raging angry' with Angela Paterson's face red with rage'.
"They were both shouting get in the car'. As they were trying to push the complainer into the car, the complainer was bracing himself against the outside of the car and clearly did not want to get in. They were struggling very fiercely'."
Ms Begg said the police traced the couple to their home in Macduff two days after the incident.
Angela Paterson's defence agent Leonard Burkinshaw said she had decided to intervene on her daughter's behalf.
He said: "The complainer had been in a relationship with the accused's daughter. It was quite a toxic relationship.
"The relationship was coming to an end when the complainer was repeatedly visiting their daughter's property.
"On this particular occasion Mrs Paterson had been at the property and a neighbour told her the complainer had been banging on the door.
"She felt her daughter was being led astray and had decided to confront the complainer."
Gary Paterson's defence agent Stuart Flowerdew said: "This was very much out of character. He was very concerned about his daughter."
Sheriff Philip Mann said the duo's actions were "incredibly stupid" and they risked being sent to jail as a result.
He told the pair, of Bath Street, Macduff: "I don't know what you thought you were doing but it was an incredibly stupid thing to do.
"I really don't understand what you thought you were doing as our police force don't need assistance from yourselves.
"You put at risk your own liberty.
"I understand you were concerned for the welfare of your daughter but there's only so much you can do as parents."
Sheriff Mann placed Angela Paterson on a nine-month supervision order and fined Gary Paterson £450.
