Former Glasgow Lord Provost Philip Braat bombarded ex with texts
A former Lord Provost of Glasgow bombarded his ex-partner with texts and social media messages in a bid to win her back.A court heard Philip Braat, 49, contacted the woman 122 times between July and September 2024.He was elected as Lord Provost in 2020 and served in the role at Glasgow City Council for two years.Braat, of Broomhill, pleaded guilty last month to a single charge of stalking and will next month be ordered to complete 60 hours of unpaid work.
On Friday he was told his formal sentencing had been delayed to allow Sheriff Owen Mullan to be addressed on the terms of a non-harassment order.
Glasgow Sheriff Court heard the messages included claims that Braat wished to end his life as a result of the woman ending their three-year relationship, which began in 2021.They went on to live together but in July 2024 the woman told Braat that she was ending the relationship.She received an email the next day from Braat which included a purported resignation letter to his employer sent from his professional account.Prosecutor Paige Phillips said: "The woman thought that this was fake and to get her attention as well as to make her feel guilty."She later contacted Braat to emphasise the end of their relationship during a "very emotional and distressing" call.The woman also stated that she did not love him and wanted to get on with her life.
Braat told ex: 'You better keep my legacy alive'
Braat attempted to persuade her that the pair should be together and stated that he could "not live" without her."He said: "You better visit my parents and you better keep my legacy alive."The woman believed that this was in reference to Braat ending his life and he said: "I don't want to live without you."When asked if it was in reference to ending his life, Braat replied: "Maybe."Between July and September, the woman received 18 emails, 51 Instagram messages, 15 text messages, 37 WhatsApp messages and a LinkedIn message.Some of the emails contained "goodbye" letters to the woman and Braat's own family.The woman contacted the police and Braat was traced to his parents' address where he was found "safe and well."Braat's LinkedIn message, congratulating her on a professional award she received resulted in the woman going to the police.She stated that the messages were not nasty but there was "no escape" from Braat and she could "not cope any longer."Braat gave a "no comment" interview to police after his arrest.
Solicitor advocate Andrew Seggie, defending, told the court: "He was at a low point and felt suicidal and his focus was on winning the woman back during the period of the charge."As a result of the passage of time, he accepts his behaviour overstepped the mark."He is genuinely remorseful."Mr Seggie said his client struggled during the Covid crisis.The solicitor advocate added: "He was the Lord Provost during the pandemic and he said he felt additional pressure to assist those who lost loved ones as a result of the pandemic together with his own constituents."He was trying to manage this and juggle his own family issues and the end of the relationship caused him to suffer a mental health breakdown during this period."Braat will return to court for sentencing next month.Sheriff Mullan added: "It should not have taken the passage of time and hindsight to reach the conclusion that perhaps you overstepped the mark - that is why you are here today."I understand that you have made it clear that it must have been traumatic and stressful for the woman concerned."Braat has represented the Anderston/City/Yorkhill ward since 2007 and is subject to an investigation by Scottish Labour.He was the deputy Lord Provost in 2017 before taking on the senior role in 2020 until 2022.The ex-provost was also the former convener of the Strathclyde Police Authority (SPA) and represented Glasgow at COP26.Braat was a member of the Law Society of Scotland, an honorary captain in the Royal Navy Reserves and a member of the Glasgow Tree Lovers' Society.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
26 minutes ago
- BBC News
Armed police called to double incident in Galston as man taken to hospital
Armed police have been called to the scene of a double disturbance at a house in East received a report of man having been injured at a property in Cross Street, Galston, at 08: man was taken to hospital for Scotland said there was a subsequent disturbance involving another man. A spokesperson said: "This is a contained incident and firearms officers are in attendance as a precaution. Inquiries are ongoing."Officers will remain in the area and anyone with concerns can approach them."
Sky News
28 minutes ago
- Sky News
Cocaine haul worth nearly £100m seized in one of UK's biggest-ever drugs busts
A haul of cocaine worth nearly £100m has been seized at a UK port, authorities say. The haul, weighing 2.4 tonnes, was found under containers on a ship arriving from Panama at London Gateway port in Thurrock, Essex. It had been detected earlier this year after an intelligence-led operation but was intercepted as it arrived in the UK this week. With the help of the port operator, 37 large containers were moved to uncover the drugs, worth an estimated £96m. The haul is the sixth-largest cocaine seizure in UK history, according to Border Force. Its maritime director Charlie Eastaugh said: "This seizure - one of the largest of its kind - is just one example of how dedicated Border Force maritime officers remain one step ahead of the criminal gangs who threaten our security. "Our message to these criminals is clear - more than ever before, we are using intelligence and international law enforcement cooperation to disrupt and dismantle your operations." Container ships are one of the main ways international gangs smuggle Class A drugs into the UK, Mr Eastaugh said. Meanwhile, cocaine deaths in England and Wales increased by 31% between 2022 and 2023, according to the latest Home Office data. Elsewhere this weekend, a separate haul of 170kg of ketamine, 4,000 MDMA pills, and 20 firearms were found on a lorry at Dover Port in Kent. Experts estimate the ketamine's street value to be £4.5m, with the MDMA worth at least £40,000. The driver of the lorry, a 34-year-old Tajikistan national, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of smuggling the items, the National Crime Agency said.
BBC News
33 minutes ago
- BBC News
Firearms and drugs worth millions found in lorry at Dover port
Millions of pounds worth of firearms and drugs have been recovered from a lorry at the Port of Dover, according to the National Crime Agency. Twenty firearms, 320 rounds of ammunition and 170kg of ketamine were confiscated from a Lithuanian registered driver, a 34-year-old Tajikistan national, was arrested on suspicion of smuggling the illegal Smith, Border Force director for the South East, said: "This is a significant seizure which demonstrates the vital work Border Force officers do every day to keep lethal weapons and dangerous drugs off our streets." Among the haul, officers also discovered more than 4,000 MDMA -also known as ecstasy or molly - investigators estimated the street value of the ketamine to be about £4.5m, and the MDMA to be £40,000. The firearms will be tested by NCA experts, but are believed to be viable pistols, the agency Herbert, NCA senior investigating officer, said: "Our investigation to trace and detain the individuals responsible for the attempted importation is ongoing."Alongside our domestic and international partners, we are relentless in our efforts to suppress the supply of firearms to UK-based organised crime groups."
