Former Hearts and Livingston star Lee Makel has admitted sending messages threatening to kill his estranged wife and the senior police officer she was having an affair with.
The 49-year-old ex footballer - who used to play for Blackburn Rovers, Hearts and Livingston - pleaded guilty at Jedburgh Sheriff Court to threatening and abusive behaviour towards his ex-partner Claire Makel and former Police Scotland chief superintendent Gareth Blair.
He admitted repeatedly sending messages to Claire that were abusive and threatening including threatening to kill her and Mr Blair and did further send abusive messages about him.
The offence happened at his former home in Lauder, Berwickshire, and elsewhere between June and September 2019.
Defence lawyer Jennifer Cameron said the offence happened at the time when there had been "significant publicity" about his wife and Mr Blair "participating in public indecency at the Hermiston Gate park and ride car park".
Fifty one year old Mr Blair was later fined £750 for public indecency and Claire Makel, 44, had her plea of not guilty accepted. Witnesses had told police the couple were engaged in sexual activity in public view in a vehicle in the car park.
Ms Cameron asked Sheriff Peter Paterson to impose an absolute discharge for Lee Makel as he has applied for a football coaching post involving American college scholarships but he required clear disclosure and a criminal conviction would affect this.
However, Sheriff Paterson questioned whether the sentence would be competent if he imposed a Non-Harassment Order which Makel's wife had requested.
As a result, the sheriff deferred sentence until September 13 to allow Ms Cameron to address him on this issue. He said Makel - who now lives in York - did not require to appear for the hearing.
Ms Cameron said it had been a difficult situation for everyone involved.
She explained the messages Mr Blair were sent when he was on holiday in Dubai with neighbours and Claire Makel had been due to attend and he was drinking at the time and apologised the next day.
Ms Cameron said he had hoped for a reconciliation with his wife but he was sent messages by Mr Blair's wife who said steps had been taken to divide property and he felt he had been deceived by Claire Makel on what was happening.
She continued:"On reflection he was having some sort of a breakdown. He is a family man and was very much in love with his wife. They had been married for 10 years and been together for 15 years with two children."
Ms Cameron said he had lost his employment working as a football coach six to eight weeks ago when his employers found out about the case and he had been paying £350 a month in child maintenance while working.
But he would not be able to do that if he was not working and asked for an absolute discharge to be imposed to allow him the opportunity of taking up further employment.
Procurator fiscal Alasdair Fay said there had been an unfortunate set of circumstances behind the offence following the breakdown of the Makels' marriage which took place in the public eye.
The couple continued to live together in Lauder but details of the affair with Mr Blair caused "a great deal of friction."
Mr Fay said on June 14, 2019, Makel sent a series of messages which had caused Claire Makel alarm and distress but as Makel was out of the country at the time she did not feel threatened. When he returned from Dubai a week later messages were sent which contained explicit threats to kill Claire Makel and Mr Blair.
Mr Fay said that on September 1, 2019, further messages were sent to Claire Makel which caused anxiety and led to the matter being reported to the police.
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