Man jailed after bombarding ex-partner with abusive messages

An accounting manager who bombarded his former partner with abusive messages has been jailed for 18 months.

Andrew McNicol, also known as Andrew Jolly, turned on the woman between January and August 2019 from his home in Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire.

The 31-year-old former telecommunications worker used his skills to create fake numbers and hounded the woman with calls.

He also made bogus social media profiles which contained personally abusive language and sent friends requests to her.

McNicol used a pre-booked golfing trip to pretend to keep tabs on the “terrified” victim who was walking in the same park with her dog.

He pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Tuesday to stalking and breaching a non-harassment order.

Sheriff Johanna Johnston QC said: “This is offending which is designed to frighten and terrify women you are in a relationship with.

“Your return to this type of offending must be marked with a custodial sentence.”

McNicol was also put under supervision for seven months upon his release from prison as he “is a real risk at liberty”.

A non-harassment order was granted preventing McNicol’s contact with the victim for seven years.

The court heard the pair were in a relationship between November 2017 and summer 2018 which initially ended on good terms.

McNicol was convicted of stalking her in January 2019 and was ordered by the court to seize all contact with her for five years.

Five days later, the woman received multiple messages on her mobile phone from an unknown number.

This continued for three days before the victim changed her number.

One of the many calls included McNicol breathing heavily before he ended the call.

Prosecutor Sarah Latta added: “She was aware McNicol could generate numbers as he worked in a telecommunications company.”

The ordeal forced the woman to isolate herself from her friends and family.

Police were contacted and were able to trace McNicol who lived at his father’s address.

The woman continued to receive multiple friends requests on social media apps, Snapchat and Instagram.

The usernames to the accounts were insults including “chubby s***” and “I hope you kill yourself”.

McNicol then threatened to send an intimate picture of the woman to her place of work.

He later sent an apologetic message, stating: “I love you and still do, I hope you understand, I can’t keep going on like this any longer.”

The woman received a follow up message saying that she deserved it.

McNicol then wrote: “If you are wondering why c***s are staring at you at work tonight, it’s because they know what you are, I hope you have a s**** life you s***.”

Despite contacting the police again, the woman received more abusive messages in March 2019.

The victim also received messages from an account claiming to be McNicol’s girlfriend.

This included a video of McNicol and the victim together while they were in a relationship.

Ms Latta said: “The woman knew this was an attempt by McNicol to contact her.”

McNicol was also aware that the victim walked her dog twice a day in a park in Glasgow’s east end.

When walking with a friend, McNicol created social media accounts which made reference to her being in the park and sent friends requests to them.

Ms Latta said: “The woman was petrified and believed McNicol was following her.”

This occurred on consecutive days in May 2019 but she was unable to locate McNicol when looking out for him.

The woman temporarily deleted all social media in July 2019 but McNicol continued to send her friends messages.

Officers finally arrested McNicol at his home in December 2019.

John McLaughlin, defending, said McNicol was in the park on both days as he was playing a pre-booked golf match with his cousin.

The lawyer stated the offences occurred when McNicol was on a change of medication.

Mr McLaughlin added: “He is in employment as an accounting manager in an international firm for tax consultancy and began that employment in June 2021.

“They are aware of his criminal record and the current process.

“He is a very good job and a very good career. He knows he needs to be punished for this.”