A HELENSBURGH man has been banned from any form of contact with a woman for three years after he admitted causing her fear and alarm by sending her a series of private social media messages.

Christopher Hendry used the Facebook Messenger service to contact the woman on May 21, June 5 and November 13 last year, and also repeatedly sent her text messages on the most recent of those three dates.

The 32-year-old, of West Princes Street, appeared in court for sentencing on Friday, July 13 after pleading guilty to an amended charge at an earlier hearing.

Hendry's solicitor, Lauren Kerr, told Dumbarton Sheriff Court that her client had fully complied with a bail condition barring him from contacting the woman, but said he would comply if the Crown's request for a non-harassment order were to be granted.

Miss Kerr said Hendry's behaviour was “at the lower end of the seriousness of this type of charge”, and told the court that while her client had a limited criminal record, it did not include any domestic offences.

Sheriff William Gallacher replied: “I'm not convinced I agree that these offences are at the lower end of the scale.

“This behaviour was very insidious, and very unpleasant, and lasted over a period of time.

“It's by no means a trivial offence.”

Details of the messages were not revealed at the July 13 hearing.

Addressing Hendry directly, the sheriff said: “This was behaviour you allowed yourself to engage in. It would have been blindingly obvious it was unwelcome and likely to have a serious and unpleasant effect.

“You are entitled to your own views but you are not entitled to subject someone else to them. This kind of behaviour is entirely inappropriate.”

Granting a three-year 'non-harassment order' which prevents Hendry contacting, approaching or attempting to contact or approach the woman who was the subject of the messages, Sheriff Gallacher told him: “It's very blatant that that requires to be done.

“I considered whether I had to send you to prison but the other option is available. You, and the community, will benefit from you being under supervision.”

Hendry was handed a community payback order which will see him placed under social workers' supervision for the nextg nine months.

He will also have to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work within the same time.

The sheriff warned him: “This is a straight alternative to custody, and you will find yourself in custody if you breach it.”

Two elements of the original charge, in which Hendry was accused of standing outside the woman's home address on two occasions in November last year and January 2017, were deleted from the complaint with the agreement of the Crown.