Russell Laing appeared at Greenock Sheriff court for harassing his Wife, Paula Nicholas. 

Paula Nicholas was a Detective Inspector and applied for an International post to provide her with a reason to relocate and leave the country to escape her Husband’s abuse. 

Laing was accused of threatening and abusive behaviour including monitoring her bank accounts, changing the locks on the family home, verbal abuse and physical abuse. There was an occasion where Paula was discharged from hospital during the COVID – 19 pandemic, she returned home to find Laing had allowed a new girlfriend to move in while she was in hospital.

Giving evidence Paula’s sister, Donna Airlie, also a serving police officer, said: “She had been abused, humiliated, intimidated over the years. I knew what she had suffered.”

Laing avoided jail but was order to complete a 12 month community payback order, with a requirement to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and is to be subject to a Non-harassment Order for two years.