Ex-Arsenal striker jailed for ‘chilling’ behaviour in the direction of scared ex-girlfriend
Ex-Arsenal and Celtic striker Anthony Stokes has been jailed for 5 months after he breached court docket orders and messaged his ex-girlfriend.
Stokes, 35, repeatedly messaged Eilidh Scott and her mother and father in regardless of of the strict court docket ban. Hamilton Sheriff Court heard how the messages had been a “little short of chilling,” as Stokes was sentenced to 5 months behind bars.
The ex-striker has additionally been banned from contacting Eilidh for 5 years and her mother and father for a yr. Stokes handed himself into Motherwell police station final month after failing to look in court docket for a 3rd time to be sentenced.
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Depute fiscal Fergus Warner informed the court docket: “The accused sent numerous emails, 14 in total, to the complainer Eilidh Scott accusing her of being unfaithful and questioning her ability as a mother. The accused also posted statuses on his social media profiles referencing her cheating on him.”
Jim O’Dowd, who was defending Stokes, mentioned: “Since he has been remanded there was fairly a sea change in his angle in the direction of the offences. He clearly now realises the issue and upset that has behaviour has prompted his victims.
(Image: Daily Record)
“He has been in Addiewell since last month and it has been a particularly unpleasant experience for him because people know who he is and he has had quite a hard time.
“He was saved behind his door for 23 hours per day and this has led to him now understanding how critical these issues are. He advises me he would adjust to any neighborhood order however is aware of custody will likely be uppermost within the court docket’s thoughts.”
Sheriff Colin Dunipace, who sentenced Stokes, said: “It is extraordinarily disappointing for this court docket to see somebody such as you.
“Who is clearly a man of some talent and ability, who has so much to give and who has no doubt brought joy to many, to now find yourself in this situation and I find it extremely tragic.
“It is clear that your former companion fears for her security and the statements provided by her to this court docket are little wanting chilling. You needs to be underneath no phantasm that the obligation of this court docket is to guard girls from this form of behaviour.
“You were advised when you were sentenced to a community payback order that it was a direct alternative to custody and yet you have failed to comply. I can have no confidence that you would abide by the terms of a further community order.”
(Image: Daily Record)
In 2019, Stokes admitted bombarding Scott with a string of abusive messages on WhatsApp and e-mail. He admitted to calling her a string of abusive names in addition to turning as much as her house in Shotts, Lanarkshire, demanding to know her whereabouts.
Stokes abused Eilidh between July 2018 and February 2019 – and he was handed four-year non-harassment order towards Scott and her mother and father in September 2019.
An arrest warrant was first issued in 2021, after he didn’t seem like sentenced. Stokes had been in Ireland when he determined at hand himself in, after lacking three court docket dates, final October.
