Former Conservative councillor who stalked fellow politician avoids jail

A former Conservative councillor who stalked a fellow politician has been ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.

Phillip Charles, 53, tormented the woman after she refused to start a relationship with him.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that Charles had been intimate with her on two occasions at a hotel, but nothing more came of their time together.

She had also been a councillor at that time.

But, Charles – who represented the city’s Baillieston ward – went on to bombard her with messages which she found “overwhelming.”

She ending up blocking contact with him but received a card and gift on Valentines Day 2021.

Over the next couple of months, Charles befriended the woman’s work colleagues and asked them how she was doing.

After the woman lost her seat on the local council, Charles’ behaviour escalated, and he wrote on Twitter, now X, about her.

This included pictures and a statement which said: “The best councillor there ever was.”

The woman later moved house but became aware the Charles had visited her old home with what was described as “a box of goods” for her.

Charles went on to leave a voicemail on her mobile phone saying that he was going to take his own life, which led to her changing her number.

The victim’s husband later received Facebook comments about Charles’ previous brief fling with his wife.

The court heard on Valentines Day 2025, she received a parcel from Amazon which she believed was from Charles.

A couple of months later, she got another package this time via Deliveroo.

Fiscal Eilidh Macdonald said: “The parcel was an Easter egg.

“The driver then showed her the sender’s details which said that it was from Charles.

“The woman told the driver to take the item away.”

The panicked woman initially contacted a friend who then told Charles to stop harassing her.

But, the victim got a card the next day which said: “Hope you are good, Easter goodness, Charlie. Hope you got your Easter egg” along with contact details.

This eventually led to police being alerted and Charles being arrested.

Charles pleaded guilty in court to stalking the woman between October 2020 and April 2025.

Sheriff Lorraine Glancy KC put Charles under supervision for three months as well as imposing the unpaid work order.

A five-year non-harassment order was also granted which prohibits Charles from contacting his victim in any way.

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