Nicola Sturgeon stalker fails to turn up at court

Dogan Arslan, 47, is accused of staring at the Deputy First Minister at her Pollokshaws Road constituency office from a parked car outside.

Arslan, from Battlefield, in Glasgow’s south side, is alleged to have carried out the offence between October and December 2012.

It is alleged that he “engaged in course of conduct” which caused people in the office, including SNP politician Nicola Sturgeon “fear and alarm”.

It is claimed Arslan “repeatedly loitered within a parked motor vehicle in the vicinity of the office premises” and stared at the offices and Miss Sturgeon.

His case called for a procedural hearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court but Arslan was not present and a warrant to apprehend him was granted by sheriff Brian Adair.

Arslan was arrested for the alleged offence and appeared in private at the court on December 14, 2012 where he made no plea or declaration and was granted bail.

The case has since been reduced to summary level, meaning it will be heard in front of sheriff only and no jury.

Miss Sturgeon, 43, from Irvine, has been Deputy First Minister of Scotland since 2007 and deputy leader of the SNP party since 2004.

She is a former solicitor and became MSP for the Glasgow region in 1999, winning the Govan constituency in 2007 and is now the MSP for Glasgow south side.

She married Peter Murrell, the SNP’s Chief Executive, in 2010 and lives with him in Glasgow.