Stalker policewoman hacked a married man's Facebook to abuse wife and change status to 'single'

A former police officer has been jailed after becoming "fixated" with a married man, stalking him for 19 months, and hacking his Facebook page.

Ashley Boyd hacked Kevin O'Connor's Facebook account to change his relationship status to 'single' and use his Twitter account to post offensive tweets about O'Connor's wife, Rhona.

The 26-year-old launched a campaign of harassment against the couple, even cancelling a hospital appointment for Rhona while she was working for Police Scotland.

Boyd was jailed for 11 months and given a five-year non-harassment order after admitting one charge of stalking and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The second conviction stems from Boyd attempting to convince a friend to confess to the stalking.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard there was "absolutely no romantic or sexual relationship" between Kevin and Boyd after they met at work.

When she found out O'Connor was married, she first hacked his social media accounts in March 2015 and continued until October 2016.

Sheriff Paul Crozier said while sentencing: "Your conduct throughout this whole sorry episode has been destructive, self-serving and manipulative."

The court had heard how Boyd and O'Connor used to work together at Boots before Boyd left to work for Police Scotland.

Boyd had told the victim that a number of women in the shop "fancied him" and they both went to the same gym.

The first O'Connor knew about the hack was when he was on holiday with his wife, when his sister texted him to say his Facebook relationship status had been changed to say he was single.

Boyd also spoke to people in O'Connor's name telling them he was unhappy with his marriage. Prosecutor Andrew Beadsworth said: "Boyd appears to have become fixated upon Kevin O'Connor."

Rhona O'Connor spoke after the sentencing and said according to the Daily Mail: "I am relieved, I actually can't believe it.

"It has been an absolute nightmare, my health suffered, I have been ill constantly. This is punishment, we will be able to move on."

The 26-year-old is believed to have resigned from Police Scotland.