FAILING to accept the end of a 36 year friendship with an ex-partner led to a court appearance for a Dunfermline man.

David McCall, 61, of Mackie Place, had been asked to stay away from the woman but kept turning up at her house uninvited and was seen staring through the window and sitting on a bench in the back garden.

Appearing for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court, he had previously admitted that between August 20 and September 1, at a house in Dunfermline, he engaged in a course of conduct which caused the woman fear or alarm by repeatedly attending at her home address uninvited and against her wishes, loitering outside, staring in the window, entering the back garden and loitering there, repeatedly contacting her by phone and repeatedly stating he was going to self harm.

Depute fiscal Jane Rennie said McCall and the woman had been in a relationship for 25 years and separated around 11 years ago but maintained their friendship.

However, in August she decided she no longer wished to have any contact with the accused and asked him to stay away.

"Since then there have been a number of occasions where the accused has been seen standing outside the house and staring in the living room window," she said.

"On a number of these occasions the complainer has ignored the accused. There have been other instances where the accused has been seen sitting on a bench in the complainer's back garden."

His behaviour continued until September 1 when he phoned the ex-partner and said he had taken an overdose. She contacted the police who took him to hospital before arresting him.

Solicitor Jonathan Matheson-Dear said his client accepted he was not welcome at the house, however felt he was getting mixed messages from the complainer for a significant period of time.

"He was finding it difficult to come to terms with the end of the relationship," he said. "They were close friends as well as ex-partners.

"He was hoping she might make him welcome but he did so in what must have been quite an alarming way. He accepts he shouldn't have done that."

Sheriff Michael Fletcher placed McCall on a community payback order with a two year supervision requirement during which he will attend a domestic abuse course.

He also granted a non harassment order banning him from approaching or contacting his former partner for 18 months.