A MAN who harassed his neighbours by demanding cups of tea dodged jail.

Paul King was tagged by a sheriff after a month-long campaign of harassment at flats in Castlemilk.

The 51-year-old first struck around 5.30pm on November 1, 2020 when he started knocking the door of upstairs neighbours Natasha Jackson and Lauren Barbour.

King turned up at the women's door asking them to make him a cup of tea and when they ignored him he turned aggressive.

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He started kicking at the door and shouting through the letterbox.

Ms Jackson told him to leave but King refused and continued to beg her for cups of tea.

Depute fiscal Gail Campbell told Glasgow Sheriff Court last week how, at this point, Ms Jackson's cat ran out into the close and she had to go out after it.

King used this as an opportunity to try to force himself into the property but he gave up and went back to his own flat.

Two hours later, however, he returned to the women's flat and began to kick the door and become increasingly aggressive.

Becoming increasing afraid, Ms Jackson went to the front door and told King she would phone the cops if he didn't leave them alone.

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King responded: "If you want me to leave you're going to have to kick me down the stairs."

Ms Barbour closed the door and called the police.

Officers had attended the flats earlier in the evening to give advice to the two women but this time they returned around 8.20pm.

They took statements before searching the area for King, who was not at home.

About an hour later they tracked him down and he was taken to Cathcart police station to be cautioned and charged.

He was released on November 2 with the condition he would not contact Ms Jackson or Ms Barbour.

But he went back to their door that night on three separate occasions and again asked for cups of tea while loitering outside the flat.

They refused to open the door and again called the cops.

On November 24 he breached his bail conditions again and was again arrested and taken back to Cathcart police station.

Sheriff Patricia Pryce said: "I know that circumstances have changed hugely since this happened and I'll say nothing further in open court."

She tagged King for 15 weeks, keeping him at home between 7pm and 7am as a direct alternative to a jail sentence.