Stalker went looking for council leader despite banning order

A woman convicted of stalking Glasgow city council leader Susan Aitken breached an order banning her from contacting the politician.

Amanda McCutcheon entered Glasgow City Chambers on September 23 this year looking for her, but was stopped by security.

The 48-year-old was subject to a lifelong non-harassment order from April 2018 preventing her from entering the building and contacting the SNP councillor.

McCutcheon had targeted Ms Aitken between January and March 2018 due to a housing problem and was later ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work.

McCutcheon sent threatening texts and letters to Ms Aitken who she referred to as “Psycho Susan”.

McCutcheon, representing herself, was convicted of two charges of breaching non-harassment orders.

The mum-of-two was cleared of a charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.

The court heard from building supervisor Gerard Stelmaszuk, 28, who stated McCutcheon, holding a gym bag, demanded to speak to Ms Aitken.

He said: “I asked why she was in the building and she refused to give me her name. It sent off alarm bells.

“I told her that most councillors were working from home and there was no one here.

“She asked for Susan Aitken’s number and I refused to hand over her number.

“She was just rather rude calling me names.”

Prosecutor Ian Meacock asked Mr Stelmaszuk what names he was called and he replied: “She said I was just a stupid supervisor. I will turn you inside out and I will throw you about.”

Mr Stelmaszuk then told the hearing that McCutcheon refused to leave the building after being asked repeatedly.

He added: “I told her the next step was that I would phone the police and she said: ‘That’s fine I will leave in handcuffs.’

“She said: ‘That’s why I have brought a bag’ and put her bag on the floor.”
It was discovered that McCutcheon was banned from entering the council building.

Mr Stelmaszuk said: “She was supposedly stalking Susan Aitken.”

Officers later arrived and spoke to McCutcheon.

PC Paul Lorenzetti, 40, told the court: “She said she wanted a job and a house and wasn’t leaving until this was granted.”

Officers arrested McCutcheon before attempting to caution and charge her for the offence.

PC Lorenzetti said: “When we tried to do that, she put her fingers in her ears and she started making noises and wasn’t listening.”

McCutcheon, who represented herself, told the court in her closing speech that she was trying to get support to find employment and education and didn’t believe she had broken the law.

Sheriff Daniel Kelly told McCutcheon: “I’m satisfied that the evidence heard was truthful and it was quite clear from what I heard that you were present in the city chambers and were attempting to contact Susan Aitken.

“There was a non-harassment order in place and you cannot do that.

“There is a substantial risk if released on bail that you would fail to comply with the conditions of bail.”

Sentence was deferred until next month for background reports and McCutcheon, of the city’s Springboig, had her remand in custody continued meantime.