A jealous stalker left a mannequin head with a knife stabbed into it outside his neighbours’ home in a terrifying campaign of intimidation.
His victims – a man and woman who lived in the same block of flats – were left scared to leave their home as a result of the sinister series of incidents at the hands of Jordan Gall.
The 23-year-old admitted to police he was sexually attracted to the man and jealous of the couple’s relationship.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told Gall sent the couple anonymous abusive letters, turned off the electricity to their property, threw crockery from his upstairs window and wrote “RIP” outside their home.
Fiscal depute Gavin Letford said the couple found a letter outside their address, in the Rosemount area of Aberdeen, which they believed to have been written by Gall, calling the male “a very rude young man”.
Another letter also alleged the couple had stolen some of Gall’s clothes.
At this point the man became concerned about Gall’s “erratic” behaviour towards them.
Keep up to date with the latest news with The Evening Express newsletter
Mr Letford said: “A short time later they became aware of items being smashed outside their property.
“They believed the accused was responsible and contacted police.
“Police officers attended and observed a mannequin head outside with a knife embedded in the top of it.”
He added the victim “interpreted the item as a threat to harm them”.
When being interviewed by police, Gall said it was an “attempt to seek revenge” for the man stealing his washing.
Between October 23 and November 25 this year, Gall was spotted by the pair loitering in the communal hallway outside their flat.
On one occasion the woman returned home from work and found Gall in the hallway “looking in the direction of her flat door”.
Mr Letford said: “The accused’s actions at this time, based on his previous behaviour, caused her to feel extremely uneasy.”
At around 7pm on November 9 her boyfriend looked through the peephole in his front door and saw Gall “walking backwards and forwards” in the hall, causing him to feel “alarmed”.
Between 12.30am and 3.30am on November 18 the couple “heard the accused throwing plates and a crate of DVDs out of the window resulting in the items smashing directly outside their property”.
On November 24 the man and woman discovered their electricity had been cut off and realised Gall had switched it off at the electricity box outside their flat.
The following day the man saw the letters RIP had been written on his electricity box in pink ink. Further graffiti in the same ink was discovered in the stairwell, including a picture of a penis and various comments about the man, calling him a thief.
At this point the couple again contacted police and in interview Gall “admitted he was sexually attracted” to the man and was “jealous” of their relationship, Mr Letford said.
The court was told Gall had caused the couple “considerable anxiety and distress”.
“As a result of the accused’s behaviour, both were afraid to leave their home in case of further incidents,” Mr Letford added.
Gall previously pled guilty to engaging in a course of conduct that caused the couple fear or alarm, culpably and recklessly throwing crockery and a crate of DVDs out of a fourth-floor window.
He also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by throwing glass objects from his window, leaving abusive letters and leaving a mannequin head with a knife stuck in it beside their address.
Defence agent Les Green said: “There was never any prospect he would physically harm them.”
He added his client no longer lived at the block of flats.
Sheriff Ian Wallace deferred sentence on Gall, of West North Street, Aberdeen, until next month for a psychological report.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.