Police called after man '˜bombarded' ex with messages

A frightened female called the cops after her ex-partner sent her a string of messages falsely claiming he was going to kill himself.
Richard Dallas outside Livingston Sheriff Court today after pleading guilty to sending fake threats that he was going to kill himself to his ex. Picture; 
Vic RodrickRichard Dallas outside Livingston Sheriff Court today after pleading guilty to sending fake threats that he was going to kill himself to his ex. Picture; 
Vic Rodrick
Richard Dallas outside Livingston Sheriff Court today after pleading guilty to sending fake threats that he was going to kill himself to his ex. Picture; Vic Rodrick

Richard Dallas bombarded Paula McCrory with the worrying text messages and Facebook posts six months after they split up, a court heard

He sent her numerous messages claiming he was “going to heaven” and was “going to sleep with the angels”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He also told her that he had “Buckfast and tablets to take” and that he was “ending his life”.

Alistair Macleod, the fiscal depute, told Livingston Sheriff Court: “The last message alarmed the complainer and she called the police at about 6.45pm on 20 June.

He said: “Police were able to trace the accused at his home in Plover Brae, Livingston, West Lothian, at around 1am on 21 June.

“He was found asleep within his property and when he was spoken to advised that he didn’t feel suicidal at all.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“He said he just sent messages to the complainer because she caused him grief towards the end of the relationship.

“He was detained and taken to the police station where he was interviewed, during which he admitted sending the messages.

“He again indicated that he was not, however, suicidal and apologised for what he had done.”

Dallas, 44, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause a reasonable person fear or alarm.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He admitted repeatedly sending his ex-partner “remarks of an alarming nature” and threats of self-harm via mobile text messages and posts on her Facebook page.

Neil Stewart, in mitigation, said Dallas had experienced an upsetting time due to both the break-up of the relationship and the subsequent death of his mother from terminal cancer.

He added: “There were messages from the complainer, which I’ve had sight of, which were of a very nasty nature.

“Offensive names were being put to Mr Dallas because of his Irish ancestry and she was suggesting that he do away with himself.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“His threats were empty, he advises, but he accepts that Miss McCrory could have put in a state of fear or alarm by them.”

He said Dallas had now moved on in his life, wanted nothing more to do with his ex and sought solace in his work as a site foreman and the friends he had there.

Sheriff John MacRitchie deferred sentence for six months for good behaviour and freed Dallas on special bail conditions barring him from approaching or contacting his ex partner.

He told the accused: “I’m persuaded that it’s appropriate for you, as a man with no previous convictions, to be given a chance to prove that this was something described as hollow and something you’re not going to repeat.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“If you prove over the next six months that this was a one-off aberration on your part then a different view might be taken as to how I deal with it than I would take today.” He ordered Dallas to return to court to be sentenced on 29 March 2018.