A Perth resident has admitted to engaging in a prolonged and disturbing campaign of harassment against a neighbouring couple, spanning over a year. The individual, Kathleen Minogue, aged 63, of Jura Street in Perth, was brought before Perth Sheriff Court where she faced charges relating to her sustained threatening and abusive behaviour.
The court heard that Minogue tormented the couple through a series of anonymous letters, malicious social media posts, and unwelcome digital messages. These actions, which commenced in May 2024 and continued until May of this year, caused significant and ongoing distress to the victims within their own home and community. Details of the Harassment Unveiled
The harassment began with Minogue delivering threatening letters to the couple’s door. These communications often contained highly damaging and unsubstantiated allegations. On one occasion, a seemingly innocuous missed parcel slip was repurposed by Minogue to convey her accusations, labelling the pair as ‘abusers’. A more significant incident involved an A4-sized letter, which not only reiterated baseless claims of child abuse but also threatened to report the female resident to her landlord. This letter also included peculiar complaints about the upkeep of the shared common close, demanding the neighbour take responsibility for cleaning while continuing to brand her an ‘abuser of children and animals’. Digital Escalation and Direct Confrontations
The campaign intensified, with several of Minogue’s actions captured by the couple’s home security system. On April 8, footage from their Ring doorbell showed Minogue depositing another letter at their door, audibly expressing expletives. The content of this particular message focused on the placement of the Ring doorbell, claiming it faced her property, and demanding its immediate removal under threat of involving the police and local council. Minogue was also observed waving at the doorbell on multiple occasions. Her malicious activities extended to online platforms, where she made serious public allegations about the couple’s family members, suggesting involvement in grooming schoolchildren. She also posted disparaging remarks questioning the female resident’s employment and spread false rumours about the death of the couple’s pet rabbit while they were on holiday.
The harassment also manifested in direct confrontations. Following the delivery of another letter, the male neighbour challenged Minogue. Her response was defiant, stating, ‘You’re caught bonnie,’ before she shouted a deeply offensive slur at him as she walked away. The victims painstakingly collected evidence of the abuse, including ten physical letters and screenshots of various distressing Whatsapp messages from Minogue. On May 6, she further exacerbated the situation by commenting on a Facebook post, publicly complaining about the female resident and explicitly naming her workplace. These escalating actions prompted law enforcement to intervene, leading to Minogue’s apprehension and questioning at her Jura Street residence. Court’s Decision and Community Impact
During her appearance at Perth Sheriff Court, Kathleen Minogue pleaded guilty to a charge of threatening or abusive behaviour. Her defence agent informed the court that Minogue had experienced significant challenges during her childhood, which, he argued, led to a heightened concern for children’s welfare, albeit expressed in a profoundly misguided manner. The defence counsel also clarified that the court was not the appropriate venue to ascertain the truthfulness of Minogue’s claims, which remained entirely unverified.
Sheriff Mark O’Hanlon addressed Minogue directly, expressing his grave concern that a woman of her age, as a first-time offender, was before the court for a protracted campaign of harassment. He emphasised the severe emotional distress such behaviour would have caused the victims, particularly given the nature of the serious and baseless allegations of paedophilia and grooming. The Sheriff indicated that the gravity of these offences had crossed the threshold for a potential custodial sentence. Ultimately, Kathleen Minogue was ordered to pay a fine of £450 and was placed under supervision for a period of one year. This ruling sends a clear message regarding the serious consequences for individuals who engage in persistent and malicious harassment within the vibrant communities of Perth and Kinross.
The court heard that Minogue tormented the couple through a series of anonymous letters, malicious social media posts, and unwelcome digital messages. These actions, which commenced in May 2024 and continued until May of this year, caused significant and ongoing distress to the victims within their own home and community. Details of the Harassment Unveiled
The harassment began with Minogue delivering threatening letters to the couple’s door. These communications often contained highly damaging and unsubstantiated allegations. On one occasion, a seemingly innocuous missed parcel slip was repurposed by Minogue to convey her accusations, labelling the pair as ‘abusers’. A more significant incident involved an A4-sized letter, which not only reiterated baseless claims of child abuse but also threatened to report the female resident to her landlord. This letter also included peculiar complaints about the upkeep of the shared common close, demanding the neighbour take responsibility for cleaning while continuing to brand her an ‘abuser of children and animals’. Digital Escalation and Direct Confrontations
The campaign intensified, with several of Minogue’s actions captured by the couple’s home security system. On April 8, footage from their Ring doorbell showed Minogue depositing another letter at their door, audibly expressing expletives. The content of this particular message focused on the placement of the Ring doorbell, claiming it faced her property, and demanding its immediate removal under threat of involving the police and local council. Minogue was also observed waving at the doorbell on multiple occasions. Her malicious activities extended to online platforms, where she made serious public allegations about the couple’s family members, suggesting involvement in grooming schoolchildren. She also posted disparaging remarks questioning the female resident’s employment and spread false rumours about the death of the couple’s pet rabbit while they were on holiday.
The harassment also manifested in direct confrontations. Following the delivery of another letter, the male neighbour challenged Minogue. Her response was defiant, stating, ‘You’re caught bonnie,’ before she shouted a deeply offensive slur at him as she walked away. The victims painstakingly collected evidence of the abuse, including ten physical letters and screenshots of various distressing Whatsapp messages from Minogue. On May 6, she further exacerbated the situation by commenting on a Facebook post, publicly complaining about the female resident and explicitly naming her workplace. These escalating actions prompted law enforcement to intervene, leading to Minogue’s apprehension and questioning at her Jura Street residence. Court’s Decision and Community Impact
During her appearance at Perth Sheriff Court, Kathleen Minogue pleaded guilty to a charge of threatening or abusive behaviour. Her defence agent informed the court that Minogue had experienced significant challenges during her childhood, which, he argued, led to a heightened concern for children’s welfare, albeit expressed in a profoundly misguided manner. The defence counsel also clarified that the court was not the appropriate venue to ascertain the truthfulness of Minogue’s claims, which remained entirely unverified.
Sheriff Mark O’Hanlon addressed Minogue directly, expressing his grave concern that a woman of her age, as a first-time offender, was before the court for a protracted campaign of harassment. He emphasised the severe emotional distress such behaviour would have caused the victims, particularly given the nature of the serious and baseless allegations of paedophilia and grooming. The Sheriff indicated that the gravity of these offences had crossed the threshold for a potential custodial sentence. Ultimately, Kathleen Minogue was ordered to pay a fine of £450 and was placed under supervision for a period of one year. This ruling sends a clear message regarding the serious consequences for individuals who engage in persistent and malicious harassment within the vibrant communities of Perth and Kinross.