You’re in a bodybag threat lands woman in the dock

Lanark Sheriff Court heard this last Wednesday when 41-year-old Barbara MacAulay pleaded guilty to mounting the two-day-long tirade over March 13 and 14 this year.

The court was told, however, that there had been a “two way street” of messages between the two women but only MacAulay’s side of the exchange had been recorded and brought to the attention of the police.

The accused, of 52 Hope Road, had originally denied the charge and was due to go to trial last Wednesday but changed her plea to one of guilty to the charge of having sent text messages to Cherrie McIntosh that were “grossly meancing in character” in which she repeatedly swore and threatened Ms McIntosh with violence.

Depute fiscal Richard Hill read out to court some of the text messages sent by MacAulay to Ms McIntosh which, on the first day of the exchange, on March 13, contained phrases such as; “I am going to murder you. Tell that to the police” and “Get a nappy for your mouth. You’re dead. I’ll get you at college. You are the crackpot. You’re in a bodybag.”

The next day the messages continued, including the phrases: “I’ll get you with a hammer. I’ll slit your throat.”

A solicitor acting for MacAulay said that his client had no previous convictions for any similar offence.

He added that what he could say about the background to MacAulay’s actions was limited due to forthcomimng court proceedings concerning “an earlier incident which involved the alleged robbery with a weapon of the accused’s son.”

On the messages, the solicitor insisted that the court was only seeing one side of what had been an exchange over social media between the accused and her victim.

“It was a two-way street but only my client’s side of the exchange is recorded here. She (MacAulay) is now very remorseful indeed for her actions.

“There have been no further incidents since and no further contact between the two women.”

He went on to suggest to Sheriff Pattison that a deferred sentence for good behaviour might be the best course of action.

The sheriff, however, disagreed. He said that, due to the nature of the offence, he wanted to know more of the origins of “these persistent and serious threats”.

Calling for background reports, he deferred sentence to August 20.