Courts in Moray: 'Nosey' restaurant worker frightened woman
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A Moray restaurant worker whose "nosey" behaviour unwittingly caused a young woman to be terrified has received a deferred sentence.
Elgin Sheriff Court heard that Muhammad Aftab doesn't live in the main block of Pringle Court in Buckie, but had arranged an agreement with the owners which allowed him to store his bike within its communal area.
At about 11.30pm on August 20, a female resident was about to leave her flat to go for a cigarette when she saw Aftab through the peephole of her front door.
She saw him standing on the landing, staring at her neighbour's door.
This went on for about 30 seconds.
He then turned towards her door and stared at it for another 30 seconds.
Next, Aftab walked right up to her door and put his ear against it.
The resident alerted her neighbour by phone because she was due to return by herself from a night out.
She also called the police and Aftab was cautioned and charged.
Speaking at Elgin Sheriff Court, fiscal depute Shamiela Ghafar said the incident had left the female resident "alarmed and terrified".
Defence lawyer Grant Daglish stated that his 24-year-old had not acted out of malice on the night of the offence and was simply "being nosey".
He added: "In the past, this case would have never made court but it has due to the current climate.
"He has never been in trouble before and never will be in trouble again."
Sheriff Robert McDonald said: "Being out and coming back to see a person lurking within their building would cause a great deal of distress."
Aftab, of South Pringle Street, Buckie pleaded guilty to a single charge of acting in a manner which would cause a reasonable person to suffer fear and alarm.
His sentence was deferred for six months for him to be of good behaviour.
