Pensioner who stalked woman from bushes at Celtic Park walks free from court
The 78-year-old spied on her with binoculars over a two-year period
Last updated 29th Jun 2023
A pensioner who stalked a woman for two years has walked free from court today.
Dennis Hislop, 78, spied on the 27-year-old for in Glasgow's Parkhead and Dalmarnock.
He tailed her several times a day as she walked her dog.
The retired metal worker told police that he hid in bushes with binoculars looking in the direction of her house.
In hiding
Hislop also concealed himself in bushes at Celtic Park to leer at her and fled after being pointed out to police.
Hislop was convicted of stalking between February 2020 and June 2022 at Glasgow Sheriff Court.
Sheriff Michael Hanlon put Hislop on a tag for 12 weeks keeping him at his son's house between 7pm and 7am.
Hislop, who was remanded in custody for a year, was also put under supervision for 15 months.
He was ordered to stay 200 metres from the woman and not to enter her street.
His "reason to live"
The woman told the court in her evidence that the pair knew each other in the past.
She claimed that she told Hislop to stop speaking to her in 2020.
Jurors were shown numerous texts allegedly sent by Hislop after the request.
This included him saying that he “loved” her and also asking for a “peck.”
Another read that the woman was his “reason to live.”
The woman said that she would leave her house three times a day to walk her dog.
She recalled seeing Hislop at roads around her house.
And she added that she was followed by Hislop between May 2021 to June 2022.
The witness stated that this was at a car park in the Emirates Arena which looked on to the back of her home where her bedroom was situated.
Caught in the act
CCTV from Celtic Park showed Hislop walking across the club shop car park and leave in his vehicle after the woman pointed him out to passing police officers.
When asked why he then ran off once the woman had spoken to them, Hislop replied: "I ran to my car because I had to go to the bookies, I wasn't running from anyone and I didn't see anyone to run from."
David McCaig, defending, told the sentencing: "He has learned that he simply has to avoid the victim and this is what he intends to do."