A LOCHGELLY man who subjected his former partner to abusive and aggressive behaviour after their relationship had come to an end 'with a thud' has appeared in Court.

David Ritchie, 35, of Birnie Street, appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

He had previously admitted that between Janaury 27 and February 2, at a house in Sinclair Drive, at a chemist store in Cowdenbeath, and a house in Mid Street, Lochgelly, and elsewhere, he engaged in a course of conduct which caused his former partner fear and alarm in that he repeatedly shouted, swore, acted in an aggressive manner and uttered abusive remarks towards her.

He repeatedly attended at her home address uninvited, repeatedly made telephone calls to her, uttered remarks towards her that which indicated that he was keeping watch over her, repeatedly approached her, followed her and attended at her work with flowers.

He attended at her parent's address and made enquiries about her whereabouts, repeatedly sent messages to her and entered her home address whilst uninvited, shouted, swore, acted in an aggressive manner, demanded information as to her whereabouts and uttered abusive remarks in relation to her.

Ritchie admitted a further charge that on February 24, at a house in Sinclair Drive, Cowdenbeath, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by attending at the address uninvited, knocking over household items, attempting to seize a mobile phone from his former partner in an attempt to prevent her from calling the police and uttering a threat of violence.

Depute Fiscal, Dev Kapadia, said the parties had been in a relationship for 17 years, however, the day after his ex had ended it, Ritchie returned and pleaded with her to get back together.

Solicitor, Ian Beatson, said both offences took place within a short space of time following the separation.

"He had no idea that the relationship was to come to an end," he told the Court. "He had no inclination of that and it appears the relationship has come to an end with a thud.

"What he found aggravating is she had clearly become involved with someone else while still within that relationship and what appeared to further aggravate it was she had introduced that person to their children and that seems to have had quite a bad effect upon him and it affected his mental health as well.

"Over a four day period, he has been fairly desperate. He wanted answers to questions and hoped to reconcile while at the same time being upset that the relationship has come to an end in the manner it did.

"He very much regrets it but it was because of the considerable strain he was under."

Sheriff James Macdonald said Ritchie was a "profound candidate" for a custodial sentence.

"You can be under no illusions about that," he told him. "Do I send you to Perth Prison now? If I do, in the circumstances you can hardly complain. With some considerable reservations, I am just – and I mean just– persuaded by Mr Beatson that I can stop short of custody in this case."

He placed him on a community payback order with supervision for 12 months and a requirement to do 90 hours of unpaid work for the first offences. For the second offence, he was put another community payback order requiring him to do 180 hours of unpaid work within 12 months.

Sheriff Macdonald also granted a non harassment order banning him from contacting or approaching his former partner for two years.