A cleaner at a medical practice became infatuated with a GP working there and began stalking behaviour which lasted more than five years.
Mary Blyth, 68, was obsessed with the doctor and told him she had a ‘bad crush’ on him.
On one occasion she left a love letter on his windscreen and an envelope containing £1,000.
She also told him that she had ‘spiritual readings’ saying they both loved each other and that she would leave her husband for him.
A court has heard the details of Blyth’s ‘Baby Reindeer’ style stalking at the Dalgety Bay medical centre in Fife, Scotland.
She bombarded Dr David Somerville with unwanted messages despite him repeatedly telling her to stop.
After police also warned her, she continued to send messages to the doctor, even after she had stopped working at the medical centre.
Blyth, of Spencerfield Road, Inverkeithing, appeared in the dock at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing.
She admitted offending between 5 March 2019 and 5 July this year at Dalgety Bay Medical Centre, Regents Way, Dalgety Bay and addresses in Inverkeithing and Edinburgh.
She engaged in stalking behaviour towards Dr Somerville by repeatedly contacting him via text messages and continued after repeated requests to cease.
She repeatedly contacted him via telephone calls and voicemails.
She also repeatedly messaged him via social media, attended at his address and placed an envelope on his vehicle for him to find.
Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said Blyth knew the doctor as she worked as a cleaner at the practice where he was based.
In 2018 he had helped her with a passport application.
In January 2019 he started to receive messages from her, including: ‘I’ve had a bad crush on you but I’m over it’.
She then sent another message apologising and saying she hoped he would still speak to her.
He replied that the apology was accepted but she should stop contacting him.
He added: ‘I need you to delete my number from your phone’ and she agreed to this.
However, she then sent another message asking to speak to him but he replied that her conduct in repeatedly contacting him was inappropriate.
Her told her to stop sending messages and said he was going to block her number.
The court was told Blyth had obtained his number from a noticeboard leaflet about after-hours cover.
In April 2020, he again told her to stop contacting him.
In December 2022, he received a phone call and recognised her voice. Again, he told it was inappropriate.
In January last year, he went to his car and found a card addressed to ‘Dave’ on his windscreen, which contained a love letter.
There was also an envelope which he did not open but instead contacted the police. When officers opened it, they found it contained £1,000.
The depute went on: ‘She told police she had a crush on him and had become a bit obsessive about it.
‘She said she thought he believed she was a stalker and admitted she had been watching his car from a distance to see if he picked up the envelope.’
She said she sent him messages saying ‘she fancied him, cared for him and loved him’.
However, Blyth did not stop sending messages after the police intervention. Between April and July this year she left 16 voicemails on his phone.
These included telling him that ‘if he wanted to pursue their relationship she would leave her husband’, added the depute.
She was again questioned by police and said: ‘I don’t think it was stalking. He just needed to be honest with me. I won’t do it again.’
Defence solicitor Alexander Flett said: ‘She’s not in the first flush of youth and it’s sad that she’s appearing in court for the first time at the age of 68.
‘She worked at the practice for 14 years up to 2022. He was sociable to her and this was clearly misinterpreted by her.
‘It seems to have been something of an infatuation. It’s been a salutary experience for her coming to court.’
Sheriff Susan Duff told Blyth: ‘This conduct persisted for five years with your victim not knowing if or when you would be contacting him again. This would have caused him immense distress.’
She imposed a community payback order with 200 hours of unpaid work and a five-year non-harassment order.
