Stalker must lay off medium

Elizabeth Murray was said to be “fixated” with Bellshill-based Monika Thomson and tried to take her own life when the medium made it clear they could never be more than friends.

Murray (45), of Easterhouse, Glasgow, spent two months in custody after admitting stalking and breach of bail charges. She was freed at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Friday, but was handed an indefinite non-harassment order and told she must not have any contact with Ms Thomson. Breaching the order could land her in jail again.

Ms Thomson leads services at Bellshill Christian Spiritualist Church and similar churches throughout Scotland.

Laura Knox, prosecuting, said the women had known each other for years and attended the same church.

She told the court: “Murray became fixated with Ms Thomson and said she was in love with her, but Ms Thomson said the relationship could proceed only on a friendship basis. She was then bombarded with calls to her landline and mobile numbers, and couldn’t change these numbers because of her business.”

Ms Knox said there were numerous abusive calls, texts and social media messages between September 1 last year and Christmas Eve.

At one point Ms Thomson, of Croftpark Street, Bellshill, told police that Murray had threatened to kill herself. Officers forced entry to her home and she was taken to hospital. She had taken an overdose.

In one message Murray said the “spirit guides” had told her Ms Thomson would be “next to die” and would suffer a brain tumour.

On her website medium Monika Thomson says: “There is nothing more beautiful and touching than uniting people of two worlds again during a private reading, improving a client’s health through spiritual healing and helping students to discover and feel their spiritual abilities.”