A Scottish taxi driver has been sentenced for a months-long campaign of stalking, threats of violence and aggressive behaviour towards his neighbour. Brian Wood, 45, was found guilty of stalking and engaging in conduct which caused fear and alarm after a trial that concluded on September 2 at Edinburgh Sheriff Court. He was also sentenced for several charges of breaching bail and failing to attend court hearings.
Details of the offences
Wood was found guilty of contacting the victim at her home in Drylaw on four separate occasions between May 30, 2025 and July 11. He did this in violation of bail conditions preventing him from contacting or approaching her. On May 30 and July 11, Wood was also found to have acted in an aggressive manner by repeatedly shouting and swearing at the victim, continually uttering offensive remarks, and playing "excessively loud music".
He further made threats of violence, repeatedly struck a wall and the ground at the property, which was "likely to cause [the victim] fear and alarm". The taxi driver faced another charge of resisting arrest on July 11 by violently struggling with two police constables – however, this charge was struck from the indictment.
Court proceedings and sentence
Wood was handed a sentence on Friday, October 2, at the same court by Sheriff Christopher Dickson. A victim impact statement referred to five years of conduct, Sheriff Dickson told the court, but Wood was "not convicted" of offences spanning that length of time. Wood's solicitor, Aryan Melrose, said: "He does still feel there were issues on both sides" of the dispute, but that "he does accept he went above and beyond".
She also claimed the soundproofing in the property was "minimal". Wood has since permanently moved away from the flat where the stalking took place. Ms Melrose told the court Wood has been in a "stable" relationship for over a year and "wants to move one with his life". Sheriff Dickson called the offences "serious" with a maximum sentence of 12 months in custody. However, a social work report identified "another way to deal" with Wood, according to the Sheriff.
Non-harassment order and restrictions
Wood was ordered to complete 220 hours of unpaid work within 12 months. He was also given a non-harassment order for an "indeterminate" length of time, preventing him from approaching or contacting the victim. He is also barred from entering several roads near the victim's address in Drylaw. Negotiations took place which allowed him to continue accessing main roads to visit an uncle and commence his work as a taxi driver.
