Keith domestic abuser's campaign of violence laid bare in court

Press and Journal

02-05-2025

A Keith man's disturbing campaign of controlling and violent behaviour towards two girlfriends has been revealed in court.
Mark Strathdee sat in silence in the dock of Elgin Sheriff Court as fiscal depute Victoria Silver spent more than 20 minutes narrating the case against him.
The 24-year-old previously admitted two charges of domestic abuse, which were carried out between 2022 and 2024.
Strathdee's first victim, whom he dated between 2022 and 2023, said he used an iPhone app to track her movements, and his abusive behaviour happened so often that it became the 'norm'.
Even after he attacked her, he would blame the woman for causing his violent behaviour.
When his second victim broke things off, he sneaked into her home late at night and left a three-page letter about how good their future could be – along with a request that she cook him dinner that evening.
Ms Silver said Strathdee's controlling behaviour meant his first victim 'became extremely isolated from her family and friends'.
'She became so exhausted with his behaviour that she found it easier to spend all of her time with him to prevent any further abuse,' Ms Silver explained.
Despite this, Starthdee would constantly accuse the woman of being unfaithful, calling her a 'slag' and 'slut'.
On one occasion, he shouted and swore at her simply because a male friend sat next to her in a bar.
That day would culminate with Strathdee attacking her in his home.
'She's told him she was leaving, to which he's grabbed her and slapped her face, telling her she was not going anywhere,' Ms Silver said.
When she finally ended things in October 2023, Strathdee continued to hound her through phone calls and text messages, begging her for a second chance.
While her parents were on holiday and she was home alone, he entered their property uninvited through an unlocked door.
Ms Silver said: 'She was immediately frightened, describing that she could feel her heart racing. For about an hour, she's repeatedly asked him to leave, however he ignored this.
'She recalls being made to feel guilty by the accused all throughout the relationship.
'Even after being assaulted, the accused would blame her – that she was the reason he hit her – and she would find herself apologising and feeling like she was in the wrong.
The woman 'knew the accused's behaviour was wrong, but that she did not know how to get away', Ms Silver added.
Strathdee's next relationship would take place between May and September last year.
But it would only take a week before his new partner spotted 'red flags' about his behaviour.
Ms Silver said this included asking the woman if she would 'hurt' him, and if she was 'one of those birds'.
'And he had also already started questioning who she was speaking to,' she added.
He would tell her not to speak to other men at a family wedding, and, following a night out with friends, she would return to her own home to find Strathdee at the top of the stairs, saying, 'Where the f*** have you been?'
'She felt that the accused was not worried, he just wanted to control where she was,' Ms Silver said.
He went on to call her a slag, a 'typical Elgin bird', and that she should be embarrassed that she was a mother.
Ms Silver said: 'The accused was being generally degrading whilst also screaming at the top of his voice that he had never been disrespected like this before.'
His behaviour would lead to her messaging a former partner and a friend to ask for help.
As with his previous partner, breaking things off did not end matters, and Strathdee would begin calling, leaving messages and entering their property without permission.
'After many messages and phone calls through the night, using various social media platforms, the accused has let himself into her house through the insecure patio doors,' Ms Silver said.
'He's gone into her bedroom and cuddled her, telling her they could make it work. [She] described she was in a state of fear.'
He would enter her property a second time to leave gifts and a three-page letter, which included instructions on what to make him for dinner.
Ms Silver said of it: 'She then woke the next morning to find flowers, chocolates for her kids, and a three-page letter talking about how amazing their future could be together – and advising that there was mince in the fridge asking for her to cook dinner for them that evening.
'The accused had again let himself in through the insecure patio doors without invitation.'
The woman would report him to police in September last year, and tell them that Strathdee's campaign against her would include biting.
Describing them as 'love bite' marks that Strathdee would leave on the woman's upper body, thighs and stomach, Ms Silver said: 'She said it was a regular occurrence that he would leave a mark or bruise on her body in some way by biting her.'
Ahead of sentencing Strathdee, whose address was given as Land Street, Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov called for more reports to be provided to the court.
Sentence had initially been deferred in March, when Strathdee admitted to the charges, for background reports from the social work department, and for a report on his eligibility for a restriction of liberty order, which could prevent him from leaving his home between certain hours of the day.
This deferment, for a psychological report on Strathdee, will see him return to Elgin Sheriff Court once more in June.
Consideration of non-harassment orders to protect both of his victims has been continued in the meantime.