A stalker who threatened to pitch a tent outside his ex's mother's house, where she'd gone to stay after leaving him, was spared jail today.
Barry McCarroll, 28, bombarded his former partner with messages and even used a banking app to try and bring her round.
Falkirk Sheriff Court heard McCarroll's ex, Rachel Fraser, had dumped him in April (2021).
McCarroll, a self-employed roofer, made a series of penny payments to her account, using his online banking app's "reference" field to send her messages pleading for her to give their relationship another try.
Prosecutor Sarah Smith said McCarroll and Miss Fraser, had been in an "on-off" relationship for 10 years.
Ms Smith said: "At the beginning of April she terminated the relationship and advised him that she wished to have no further contact with him.
"Between the 20th and 23rd of April he sent her a number of messages, during which time she repeatedly asked him not to.
"On one occasion he advised that he would pitch a tent outside Miss Fraser's mother's address, where she was residing at that point.
"Miss Fraser thereafter blocked him on a number of different social media and messaging platforms.
"At this point he began using a banking app to transfer one pence at a time into her bank account, using the reference for the transfer try and make contact with her."
Miss Fraser then contacted police, and provided officers with a copy of the messages.
McCarroll was then charged.
McCarroll, of Laurieston, Falkirk, pleaded guilty to engaging in a course of conduct causing fear and alarm to an ex-partner - the offence commonly known as stalking.
Solicitor-advocate Martin Morrow, defending, said: "He thought if he was able to talk to her, he could talk her round.
"He was just trying to save the relationship, and she was upset because she couldn't quite get him to get the message.
"When the police became involved, the message was received.
"Nothing has happened since."
Sheriff Christopher Shead said McCarroll had caused Miss Fraser fear and alarm.
He sentenced him to carry out 70 hours of unpaid work.
