A former oil boss who claims he was stalked online by a former employee yesterday denied that he owes him hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Warren Anderson hired Wayne Ledingham to work in the Houston office of GOT Services when he was serving with the company as managing director.
He claims that after Ledingham was dismissed from his role in October 2014, Ledingham stalked him for almost two years by persistently messaging him and setting up social media accounts which he used to contact him and accuse him of being a fraudster.
Ledingham, aged 50, went on trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court earlier this year where Mr Anderson said his behaviour was “intimidating, threatening and damaging.”
He also claimed Ledingham was removed from the role because he set up another company and did not inform anyone about it.
But at court yesterday Mr Anderson faced questions about the financial agreements which had occurred between the two men.
Representing Ledingham, defence agent Paul Barnett asked him if his client had invested £200,000 into GOT’s Houston branch in March 2013. Mr Anderson said he had.
Mr Barnett then asked whether an agreement had been signed saying his client was entitled to a 50% share of any future profits.
Mr Anderson denied that there had been a written agreement.
The court also heard that GOT Services went into administration in July 2015 and Mr Anderson later set up GOT Procurement which has also shut down and that Mr Anderson is now bankrupt.
Mr Barnett later asked him: “Mr Ledingham was owed money, wasn’t he?”
Mr Anderson claimed the debt had been transferred and no more was owed.
Mr Barnett also pointed out that Mr Anderson had sent abusive messages back to Ledingham.
He read out one where he called him a “saddo” who needed “tarts and tablets”.
He said: “You couldn’t really have been more abusive there, could you?”
Mr Anderson replied: “Everyone has limits that they get pushed to.”
Ledingham, of Farmers Hall in Aberdeen, denies the charge against him.
The trial, before Sheriff Margaret Hodge, continues.
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