By 
A PLUMBRIDGE man with what a court heard was an ‘irrational fixation’ on his victim has avoided immediate custody after attempting to contact the same person he was originally charged with stalking in 2022.
Richard McFarland (48), of Corickbeg Road, Plumbridge, received a four-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty at Strabane Magistrates Court to four counts of breaching a restraining order and one count of stalking.
The charges related to repeated attempts to contact the victim through Snapchat and Facebook between March and April 2024.
The court heard that the victim reported the messages and friend request to police, and a representative for the Public Prosecution Service said the contact had left the victim ‘in distress’.
A defence barrister said McFarland showed ‘true remorse’ and ‘fully accepts the distress he has caused the victim’.
It was noted that McFarland had been on bail for 18 months without breaching any conditions or making further contact.
District Judge Alana McSorley told him, “You have formed an irrational fixation with the injured party and your behaviour is relentless. It has resulted in immense stress to them and had a debilitating effect.”
The judge said McFarland had ‘shown some insight into the consequences’ of his actions and acknowledged underlying mental health issues.
Although she found that the custody threshold had been met, the judge opted to suspend the four-month prison sentence for two years, warning McFarland, “If you breach this, you will definitely be going to jail.”
A two-year restraining order was also imposed.
In October 2023, McFarland received a probation order after admitting to stalking the same victim and causing fear, alarm or distress between June 5 and July 6, 2022.
He also admitted breaching a restraining order by contacting the same victim between June 5 and December 7, 2022, including while released from custody after being initially refused bail.