Jump directly to the content
Exclusive
TWISTED TORMENTOR

First Minister hopeful Kate Forbes terrorised by warped stalker who posed for pics with Nicola Sturgeon & Mhairi Black

KATE Forbes was terrorised by a stalker who bombarded her with hundreds of threatening messages, we can reveal.

The First Minister hopeful and her family were targeted in emails by creepy Craig Hackett over a five-month period.

Craig Hackett hounded Kate Forbes with hundreds of menacing messages
4
Craig Hackett hounded Kate Forbes with hundreds of menacing messagesCredit: Michael Schofield
Hackett with outgoing First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
4
Hackett with outgoing First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
Hackett with the SNP's House of Commons deputy leader Mhairi Black
4
Hackett with the SNP's House of Commons deputy leader Mhairi Black
Ms Forbes is in the running to be the next SNP leader
4
Ms Forbes is in the running to be the next SNP leaderCredit: PA

The Scottish Sun understands one of the vile messages included a selfie of Hackett, 23, with no top on holding a blade to his throat.

Warped SNP supporter Hackett, of Glasgow, was last week hit with a non-harassment order that bans him from contacting Ms Forbes and her loved ones for five years.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court he was also ordered to carry out 224 hours of community service after pleading guilty in December to the campaign of intimidation.

Hackett’s disturbed antics began in June 2021 and lasted until the end of October that year.

It’s believed cops arrested him after the emails were flagged.

He admitted to “engaging in a course of conduct which caused Ms Forbes fear and alarm” by repeatedly sending her emails.

He also pleaded guilty to “repeatedly sending her family members electronic communication”.

It’s understood her husband Alasdair MacLennan, 42, was among those targeted.

Tonight SNP leadership candidate Ms Forbes, 32, declined to comment.

Hackett also targeted Ms Forbes on Twitter in March 2021 posting a video of her being interviewed and he wrote: “Breaking news this all lies isn’t it Kate Forbes.”

On one of his Twitter profiles he is pictured with Nicola Sturgeon and in another social media post he is snapped with MP Mhairi Black.

He regularly posted pro-SNP messages and claimed to have joined the party in 2014, before campaigning locally in Glasgow.

Hackett will also be supervised for 18 months.

Ms Forbes declined to comment.

The stalking campaign comes weeks after a pensioner was jailed for threatening to assassinate Nicola Sturgeon.

William Curtis, 70, sent threatening social media posts to Ms Sturgeon on various occasions in 2019.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

He was also found guilty of sending or causing a threatening message to be sent to former MSP Stewart Stevenson.

We pay for your stories and videos! Do you have a story or video for The Scottish Sun? Email us at [email protected] or call 0141 420 5200

Topics