Woman who stalked council leader jailed for six months

A stalker who defied an order banning her from contacting Glasgow city council leader Susan Aitken has been jailed for six months.

Amanda McCutcheon entered Glasgow City Chambers on September 23 this year looking for Aitken, but was stopped by security.

The 48-year-old was given a lifelong non-harassment order in April 2018 preventing her from entering the building and contacting the SNP councillor.

McCutcheon had targeted the politician between January and March 2018 due to a housing problem and was later ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work.

McCutcheon sent threatening texts and letters to Aitken, who she referred to as “Psycho Susan”.

McCutcheon, representing herself, was convicted at Glasgow Sheriff Court of two charges of breaching non-harassment orders.

The trial heard from building supervisor Gerard Stelmaszuk, 28, who stated McCutcheon, holding a gym bag, demanded to speak to Aitken.

He said: “I asked why she was in the building and she refused to give me her name. It sent off alarm bells.

“I told her that most councillors were working from home and there was no one here. She asked for Susan Aitken’s number and I refused to hand over her number.

“She was just rather rude calling me names.”

Prosecutor Ian Meacock asked Mr Stelmaszuk what names he was called and he replied: “She said I was just a stupid supervisor, I will turn you inside out and I will throw you about.”

Mr Stelmaszuk then told the hearing that McCutcheon refused to leave the building after being asked repeatedly.

He added: “I told her the next step was that I would phone the police and she said ‘that’s fine I will leave in handcuffs’.

“She said ‘that’s why I have brought a bag’ and put her bag on the floor.”

PC Paul Lorenzetti, 40, was sent to the incident, and told the court: “She said she wanted a job and a house and wasn’t leaving until this was granted.”

Officers arrested McCutcheon before attempting to caution and charge her for the offence.

PC Lorenzetti said: “When we tried to do that, she put her fingers in her ears and she started making noises and wasn’t listening.”

McCutcheon said at her sentencing: “I would like to say that I don’t think there was any wrongdoing.”

Sheriff Daniel Kelly told McCutcheon, from Springboig, that she faces a larger prison sentence if she breaches the order again.