A POLICE officer who carried out a "threatening" stalking campaign against his ex-girlfriend has walked free without a criminal record after his lawyer argued to punish him would be disastrous for his future career.
PC Dale Mudie, 24, was found guilty after trial of harassing fellow officer Amy Hutchison when their "intense" relationship went sour.
Despite that, he was given an absolute discharge at Forfar Sheriff Court yesterday, meaning he faces no punishment and no conviction will be recorded against him.
His current career could still hang in the balance as he faces Police Scotland disciplinary action now his court case has been dealt with.
Forfar Sheriff Court heard Mudie had previously been in the RAF but his dream of becoming
a pilot had been dashed because he was too tall.
He is now training in an attempt to become a commercial pilot but a conviction on his record could
have ruined his career
prospects if it barred his entry to countries such as the United States.
Mudie's advocate argued of a potentially disastrous effect on his employment prospects if his sentence was not reduced.
In documents lodged at court, his lawyers argued that under
Article 6 of the European Convention Of Human Rights his right to
a fair trial had been violated.
Sheriff Gregor Murray said he was "persuaded" an absolute discharge be granted, meaning that although he has been found guilty no conviction would be recorded and Mudie would be left with no criminal record.
A three-day trial heard Miss Hutchison, 26, and Mudie began a relationship while at the Police Scotland college in Tulliallan.
But when they broke up
Mudie threatened to report her to their professional standards
body and arrest her earnings over money he had used for a holiday and gifts.
Miss Hutchison said she felt "threatened" by text messages from Mudie when their five-month
relationship ended in 2011.
Things came to a head at a wedding reception in Blairgowrie, when Miss Hutchison said she was leaving him.
She told the court: "He got on his hands and knees. He said he would commit suicide.
"I said I couldn't deal with that as there had been other threats of suicide."
Speaking of their relationship, Miss Hutchison said: "It was initially quite good (but) I would describe it was deteroriating quite rapidly."
Mudie, of Carnoustie, Angus, was earlier found guilty of stalking the woman between September 10, 2011 and September 20, 2011.
Defence advocate Gavin
Anderson said Mudie had borrowed tens of thousands of pounds in training to become a pilot and anything more than an absolute discharge could ruin that potential career.
But fiscal depute Bill Kermode said: "This is a case where guilt was pronounced at the end of a three-day trial in which evidence was led. It is a concerning offence."
Sheriff Murray told Mudie: "For the reasons argued before, I will discharge you absolutely."
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