A MAN has been barred from going to the Vale of Leven Hospital for ten years after he caused his partner fear and alarm by repeatedly contacting her by phone, text and social media for six months.

Gerard Kilpatrick will only be allowed to go to the hospital, where his former partner works, in the event of a genuine medical emergency involving himself.

Kilpatrick, 35, committed the offences on various occasions between December 2015 and May 2016 at an address in Woodbank Gardens in Alexandria.

He also breached a condition of bail by repeatedly contacting the woman by phone on March 26 last year, just two days after a special bail condition was imposed banning him from getting in touch with her.

Kilpatrick, of Wyvis Quadrant in the Knightswood area of Glasgow, appeared in court for sentencing on Friday, when his lawyer admitted that his client's understanding of the impact of his behaviour was of concern.

A social work report on Kilpatrick had been ordered at his previous court appearance – and Sheriff Maxwell Hendry said at Friday's hearing that there “some worrying aspects” to that report.

Kilpatrick's solicitor, Douglas Thomson, said: “He has done much of what the court has required of him but his understanding of his behaviour has been a concern from the outset, and that is not going to change overnight, if at all.

“These were three offences against the same lady, but nothing has been brought before the court for over a year.”

Sheriff Hendry said: “He is denying guilt on the matter where pled guilty and on a matter where I found him guilty.

“He doesn't really think he's made mistakes in the past. It limits the number of options if we have an accused who is not willing to engage.”

Addressing Kilpatrick directly, the sheriff said: “The dates of your offending are in 2015 and 2016. There is no recent offending.

“But these were serious offences which would have merited prison sentences.

“With some hesitation I'm not going to send you to prison today. But I warn you quite explicitly: if there were to be any further offending involving this lady a prison sentence would be almost inevitable.”

In addition to the ten-year non-harassment order for the Vale hospital, Kilpatrick was fined £350 for his behaviour between December 2015 and May 2016, and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work within six months for the bail breach.