Stalker who tracked victim on Snapchat has sentence deferred

Man, 21, followed teen girl during six-month campaign of fear

A stalker used Snapchat mapping to keep track of his 15-year-old victim’s movements during a six-month campaign.

Samuel Hill, 21, left the girl frightened after refusing to take no for an answer after they had a brief relationship which she brought to an end.

Depute fiscal Tina Dickie told Perth Sheriff Court the girl became concerned Hill often knew where she was and would arrive at the location.

She said: “He took the end of their relationship badly and he messaged and telephoned her using social media continually.

“He was seen sitting outside in his vehicle, across from her home address. He also attended outside homes belonging to her relatives.

“She informed the accused in May 2018 she no longer wanted to be friends with him. She was frightened by his behaviour and asked him to stop contacting her.

“He accused her of cheating on him with another male and he admitted to seeing her location on a mapping application.

“He kept turning up where she was out of the blue. He gave her a letter telling her he had fallen in love with her.

“She believed he was able to follow her on the Snapchat map and this is how he knew where she was and how long she would be at a place.”

The court was told that the girl – now 16 – knew when Hill had turned up outside her home because she recognised the sound of the modified exhaust on his car.

On September 29, the girl informed her father what had been going on and Hill’s behaviour was reported to the police.

It emerged Hill had also been repeatedly contacting one of the girl’s friends because of his ongoing obsession with the teenager.

Hill, of Silverlea, Methven, admitted engaging in a course of conduct which caused fear or alarm to the girl between May 20 and November 1 2018.

He admitted driving past and sitting outside her home, sending messages to her and monitoring her position using Snapchat mapping, at various locations around Perthshire.

Sheriff William Wood told Hill: “I hope you now understand this conduct is not acceptable.

“I hope you gain some maturity and perspective from the events of last summer.”

He deferred sentence on Hill for six months for him to be of good behaviour.

He was seen sitting outside in his vehicle, across from her home address. He also attended outside homes belonging to her relatives. DEPUTE FISCAL TINA DICKIE