Man Sentenced for Stalking and Abduction

A man has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for stalking a girl under 18 and abducting her. John Harding, whose address was given as Grampian Prison, was found guilty by a jury at Lerwick Sheriff Court.

Harding was found guilty of engaging in a course of conduct between April 22nd and August 16th that caused the victim fear and alarm. This included repeatedly contacting her, attending her residence uninvited, sending unwanted gifts, sending social media messages, hugging and kissing her, and sending letters.

In a separate case, Harding was also sentenced at the High Court in Aberdeen for his actions against the same victim. Harding, who was 30 at the time, admitted to drilling holes in the walls of the girl's home to watch her undress and shower. He also admitted to detaining the girl against her will in September 2023.

The court heard that Harding lured the girl, now 17, from her workplace with the promise of a driving lesson. He took her to a remote caravan where he told her he wanted to "set her free" and that it was his dream to "do things with her." The girl escaped and found refuge in a nearby house.

Harding admitted to having an "obsession" for the girl since she was nine years old and that he had "derived sexual gratification" from seeing her in the bathroom.

Harding's prison sentence was backdated to May 3rd, when he was first remanded in custody. He is to be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on July 27th for the abduction charges.