A stalker who left sinister messages on a woman's phone saying he "knew lots of dark places to hide" has admitted making menacing calls.

Shiraz Osman, 31, subjected one woman to a six-month campaign of harassment after she spurned his advances.

He left a string of chilling messages on another victim's mobile phone warning her he was "a sick psychopath", adding: "I will get you for this, I promise."

The High Court in Edinburgh was told that he bombarded his second victim with threats after she told him there was no relationship between them.

When questioned by police, he told them he had made the calls because she was a woman and "that's what women represent".

The victim said she had struck up a friendship with Osman after he started visiting a cafe in Orkney where she worked in January last year, but she later started to feel uncomfortable with him.

On May 27 she found the threatening messages from Osman on her phone and contacted police.

He told her: "I've been watching you, I know where you live, I've been watching your house for weeks now darling... I know it, lots of dark places to hide round there. You understand what I'm saying, don't you?

"I'm never far away from you, watching you, stalking you. The problem is you've messed with the wrong person this time sweetheart, you've played with the wrong person and you do realise there is only one outcome to all this now.

"It's true what they say you know there's nothing like a woman scorned, but there is nothing like a man scorned either. I will get you for this, I promise."

In a second message he left he warned that her days were numbered and said: "I'm not the nice guy you think I am, I'm a sick f***ing psychopath, well that's what the doctors reckon anyway. I don't think I am."

Unemployed Osman, of Polebrook Avenue, Ardwick, Manchester, admitted breaching the Communications Act by sending offensive or menacing messages to his victim on May 27 last year.

He also admitted committing a breach of the peace between November 2009 and May last year through harassing conduct against another woman, who worked at a different cafe in Orkney.

Ms Bain said his victim was "friendly" towards him at first, but became increasingly alarmed over the next six months at his "over-familiar manner".

She declined repeated invitations from Osman to go for a drink and for dinner. He was told by other member of staff to leave her alone. At times she was reduced to tears by his behaviour and on one occasion followed her as she walked towards her mother's house.

He also became aggressive towards her in the cafe and told her: "I'll be seeing you, I'll be f***ing seeing you."

Advocate-depute Jennifer Bain told judge Lady Smith that the Crown had made an application for a risk assessment to be made on Osman, which could lead to an Order for Lifelong Restriction.

Defence counsel Neil Murray QC said that although Osman had been under psychiatric care it was at "a relatively low level."
 
Lady Smith remanded Osman in custody and called for a social inquiry report before sentencing.