A former Scots football scholarship starlet who subjected his girlfriend to a course of controlling domestic abuse that lasted nearly seven months has been spared jail after a sheriff heard how injury had ended his hopes of a career in the game and left him with mental and physical "issues".
Calvin Gray, 25, whom a court was told trained with Valencia and Villarreal as well as Dunfermline FC, became "insecure and jealous" during his relationship with 24-year-old Emerald Jeffrey.
He "constantly" checked up on her, repeatedly looked through her mobile phone, and repeatedly accused her of speaking to other men.
Things got so bad she closed down her social media accounts during what was described as was a "course of abusive behaviour" by Gray.
Prosecutor James Moncrieff told Falkirk Sheriff Court: "He'd be constantly calling and texting her and if she didn't respond in time he'd question why she hadn't done so.
"As a result of his behaviour she decided to delete her Snapchat and and Instagram accounts to minimise the chances of him being jealous.
"This progressed over time and she would be seeing her family and friends less and less and when there was an arrangement to meet she'd often cancel for different reasons."
Miss Jeffrey, 24 finally told him their relationship was over in April last year (2021), and she then began to receive unwanted emails from him.
In them, he called her a "s***", accused her of being with other men, and "generally blamed her for their separation".
He also wrote her a letter, begging her to take him back, and apologising for his behaviour.
Mr Moncrieff said: "She read about a quarter of the letter before she began feel sick and had to stop."
After further unwanted email contact, Miss Jeffrey called in police and Gray was arrested.
He told officers he had "mega trust issues" and accepted what he had done.
At Falkirk Sheriff Court Gray, of Cairneyhill, Fife, pleaded guilty to engaging in a course of behaviour which was abusive of Miss Jeffrey, contrary the Scottish Parliament's 2018 domestic abuse laws.
The incidents were said to have taken place between November 22nd 2020 and June 5th 2021 at an address in Polmont, Stirlingshire.
An allegation that he tried to stop Miss Jeffrey working as a fitness instructor was dropped by the prosecution.
Solicitor Ian Beatson, defending, said a social background report on Gray revealed he was "a young man who has a number of issues both physically and mentally".
He said: "There is reference in the report to him gaining a football scholarship in Italy.
"It was actually in Spain.
"He trained with Valencia and Villarreal.
"He thereafter was training for Dunfermline, and he was badly injured.
"As a result of that his potential football career came to and end."
The solicitor said that a relationship that Gray had been in since he was 14 years old also ended at the same time.
Mr Beatson said: "The breakup of that relationship coincided with the injury, and there were also other issues."
Sheriff Christopher Shead said that according to the criminal justice social work report, Gray suffered from "a range difficulties".
He said: "There does seem to be some focus for supervision."
Gray, now a a social care officer with a private-sector Scottish care service provider, was placed under supervision for 18 months, and handed a community payback ordered requiring him to perform 110 hours of unpaid work.
Sheriff Shead warned him: "If the order is breached, you'll be brought back to court and sentenced again."
He was also made subject to a 12-month non-harassment order requiring him to stay away from Miss Jeffrey.
Outside court, Gray refused to comment on the case.
