A policewoman posed as a top oil executive in a bid to get her colleague to quit as an officer in a disturbing stalking campaign.
Laura McWhirter, 32, was duped into believing she was going to be accepted for a highly paid offshore job by a web of lies spun by Pc Amanda Reilly.
The women met at Police Scotland's treatment centre in Auchterader, Perthshire, in 2016 and struck up a friendship during which Miss McWhirter told the 31-year-old she unhappy in her current job and wanted to change career.
Reilly, from Tayport in Fife, lured her in after claiming she had previously worked worked as an accountant and knew a businessman called Peter Aird, who runs Kingdom Drilling, Daily Record reports.
Over a five-month period she said to her colleague that she was setting up meetings with Mr Aird and arranging for Miss McWhirter to get a new job.
She even persuaded Miss McWhirter to buy an expensive Mercedes Benz car costing £319 per month because of the increased wages she would be making in the oil industry.
Reilly faked dozens of emails from Aird which led to Miss McWhirter attending for medicals in Aberdeen as well as learning to swim for offshore safety believing she was going to take up the post.
The truth unravelled when Miss McWhirter became suspicious and tracked down the real Peter Aird on Facebook .
Reilly confessed after being confronted by Miss McWhirter to making the whole thing up and she was reported to police bosses.
Reilly appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court where she admitted stalking Miss McWhirter between May and September 2016.
Ms McWhirter has since resigned from the force after eight years.
She said: "I met her up at the police treatment centre and I thought she was my pal but the whole thing was just a lie from start to finish.
"You don't expect someone in the police to behave like this and I still don't know why she decided to pick on me.
"When it all came out I was left questioning if she was even in the police because of the lies she told me.
"It is one of the most bizarre things I've ever heard and I can't believe it happened to me.
"I thought I was going to have this great new job and was pretty close to handing in my notice when this all came out.
"I had to report her and give a statement about what had been going on.
"I thought she was going to take it to a trial but I'm glad she pleaded guilty and I can move on."
Depute fiscal Lynn McFauld told the court how Reilly's scheme began shortly after the pair first met.
She said: "The actions of the accused Reilly and contact with 'Peter Aird' caused the witness to undertake various actions in pursuit of obtaining employment offshore.
"This included undertaking medical examinations and learning to swim to allow her to participate in offshore survival training, which is a requirement for anyone who wishes to work offshore.
"In addition, encouraged by the accused, the witness Miss McWhirter purchased a Mercedes Benz motor vehicle believing that she was about to secure employment offshore that would substantially increase her income."
The court heard Miss McWhirter's brother also completed offshore training after being told by Reilly she could also get him a job.
But the lies started to unravel when Miss McWhirter could not speak directly to Mr Aird so she messaged him via Facebook
He revealed he had no knowledge of Miss McWhirter or Reilly and had not offered anyone a job.
Miss McFauld added: "The witness began noticing a pattern whereby 'Peter Aird' always seemed to suggest dates to meet up or have telephone conversations on dates that the witness was unavailable.
"Towards the end of August 2016 the witness started to have real concerns as to whether or not the job offer from 'Peter Aird' would ever materialise.
"The contact between them started to tail off and Peter Aird's Facebook page was identified and the witness sent messages to him and received a response stating that he was not aware of who she was."
Sheriff Daniel Kelly QC will sentence Reilly, who faces the sack, next month.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the outcome of this case and a report will be made to Deputy Chief Constable for People and Professionalism Fiona Taylor for consideration of misconduct proceedings."
