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Glasgow Live
Glasgow Live
National
Connor Gordon

Glasgow court tags and bans ex-lawyer from leaving home at night after stalking conviction

A former lawyer who hounded a woman with gifts and text messages avoided jail.

David McPherson stalked Rachel O'Neill between February and May 2020.

The 35-year-old sent Miss O'Neill flowers to her work at a gym in Shawlands and continued to bombard her with messages after she rejected him.

READ MORE: Glasgow paramedic's cheek broken during terrifying ambulance attack

McPherson found himself in further bother when he groped a 16-year-old girl outside a bank.

McPherson - who had one road traffic conviction - pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to stalking Miss O'Neill and sexually assaulting the teenager.

Sheriff Charles Lugton ordered McPherson to do 135 hours of unpaid work and tagged him for 90 days keeping him indoors between 7pm and 7am.

He was also put under supervision and added to the sex offenders register for two years.

The court heard that McPherson - who practiced in Kilmarnock - initially sent a bunch of flowers and a bottle of champagne to Miss O'Neill in February 2020.

The accompanying card said: "Happy Valentine's Day, Rachel."

McPherson sent a further bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates 12 days later.

That card with it read: "Hi Rachel, if you fancy a coffee give me a text, from your secret admirer, David."

Miss O'Neill sent a text thanking McPherson for the items which he responded that she was "welcome."

McPherson sent further messages including two pictures of himself which the victim did not reply to.

He then asked Miss O'Neill out for a coffee which she replied: "I'm seeing someone else, I wish you all the best."

McPherson responded that he was "broken hearted" and a further message regarding her body before asking to meet her in a park near his former home in Whitecraigs.

Prosecutor Darren Harty said: "This caused her alarm as she goes for walks in that park.

"He sent a further message saying 'Speak to me Rachel, I'm lonely just like you'.

"Miss O'Neill sent McPherson a message saying 'I told you I'm not interested, stop contacting me'."

Police were contacted after McPherson made threats to end his life and he was arrested.

The court was then told the 16-year-old was near a Royal Bank of Scotland in Shawlands on April 1, 2020.

Mr Harty said: "McPherson approached the victim from behind and grabbed her by the buttocks."

Officers attended and he was arrested again.

Garvey McArdle, defending, told the court that McPherson did not meet Miss O'Neill and he got her phone number off her company's website.

He added: "Mr McPherson is not working currently but is educated to a high standard and wishes to apologise for his behaviour and knows he has gone beyond the level of acceptability."

A five-year non-harassment order was also granted restricting McPherson's contact with Miss O'Neill.

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