Drunken Dunipace offender ripped up t-shirt then slashed himself to torment ex

Christopher Shevlin, 30, sent his former partner pictures of the ruined t-shirt and the cuts he made to his forearms and thighs and she became so concerned she contacted police.

In one of the messages he also threatened to stab her.

Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, Shevlin had pleaded guilty to engaging in a course of behaviour that was abusive to his former partner at an address in Dennyloanhead from February 1 to February 8.

Procurator fiscal depute Ann Orr said: “The accused and the complainer were in an on/off relationship and did not live together full time. She received a message from the accused on Facebook Messenger which was about a t-shirt which had been in a bag of clothing which he said wasn’t his.

"She said it was her brother’s. He seemed to believe it belonged to a new partner and said he was going to rip it up with a Stanley knife. He then sent a picture of a shredded t-shirt.

"She then received a call from the accused, during which he made threats to stab her. There were various calls made to her accusing her of being with a new partner. Some of the messages were received at her workplace.

"Then she received more messages some time later with photographs showing cuts to the accused’s forearms and thighs, which caused her concern.”

The court heard Shevlin supposedly could not remember the incident of self harm due to his being intoxicated at the time.

It was stated his behaviour had been a “wake up call” for him to deal with his alcohol consumption.

Sheriff Christopher Shead noted it was nearly a “full house of the ugly aspects of domestic offending”.

He placed Shevlin, 24 Ferniebank Court, Dunipace, on a supervised community payback order for two years with the condition he complete 225 hours of unpaid work within 12 months.

He was also made subject to a non-harassment order not to contact or approach his ex partner for three years.