A former soldier stalked his ex-girlfriend 30 years his junior at her workplace after they split up - believing she had been leading "a double life" while they were together.

James Reid, 62, had been in a relationship with a 29-year-old Irvine woman and the pair had lived together.

During their relationship Reid showered her with gifts - which she said was his way of exerting "a form of control" over her.

But Davis eventually broke off their relationship and "cut all ties" with her ex-boyfriend - leading him to believe she had been cheating on him with someone else. 

Reid was left heartbroken by the split and wanted an explanation as to why their romance had failed. 

And he began hounding his ex after a chance stop-off for food revealed where she was working. 

Reid, of Hayocks Road, Stevenston, Ayrshire, was on his way to a car show in Greenock when he stopped off for some food - and discovered she was working at a Chinese takeaway in Bishopton.

He then began attending at her work on a regular basis, but never approached her or spoke to her. 

The details emerged this week when Reid appeared in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court over his antics following the split. 

He had been on trial over his antics but, following Davis' evidence, he pleaded guilty to a charge of engaging in a course of conduct which caused her fear and alarm by repeatedly attending her workplace. 

He admitted carrying out the stalking campaign between August 8 and September 19, 2015, in breach of Section 39(1) of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010. 

When he did so he struck a deal with prosecutors which saw claims he also stared at his ex on the various occasions he attended her work deleted from the charge. 

She said Reid was a controlling partner who exerted power over her by showering her with gifts.

But Solicitor Advocate Chris McKenna said Reid was a smitten partner who did not have his troubles to seek and had been devastated when his ex partner left him. 

The defence lawyer explained: "There was no reason she should be fearful of the accused - there was no history of domestic violence - but he has accepted her state of mind. 

"On the occasions he attended at her work he did not pluck up the courage to go and speak to her as he had initially intended to do. 

"He was on the way to a car show in Greenock and stopped by the Bishopton area for some food. 

"He did not know she worked there, she had cut off all contact. 

"His position is she never, at any point, signified she wasn't happy in the relationship and wanted out of the relationship. 

"After she left there were large unpaid bills. 

"He had given the bills to her father so she was aware there was an issue that needed addressed. 

"He was formerly in the Armed Forces and a charity which assists veterans paid the bill for him to prevent him being taken to court.

"He later discovered she had a new partner and his information was there was an overlap, although that's disputed by the complainer.

"He believed she'd been leading a double life. 

"There is a substantial age gap between them and he felt humiliated and felt very foolish.

"One of the reasons he attended her work was because of the bills and also because he felt he deserved an explanation. 

"He still had feelings for her.

"He is a man of very poor health indeed. 

"He suffers from severe depression and that's been exacerbated by the stress of this case."

After hearing that there had been no contact between them since September 2015, Sheriff Seith Ireland deferred sentence on Reid for six months for him to be of good behaviour for what he termed "a serious matter."

Reid is set to return to the dock in September to learn his fate.