A BUSINESS boss was left terrified after a disgruntled customer vowed to 'have him shot' while making more than 400 nuisance calls.

Ross Ireland, 27, was said by his own solicitor to have 'lost the plot' as he engaged in harassment during the course of several months between June, 2022, and February this year.

Ireland’s target was the manager of a Dumfries vehicle repair firm.

Prosecutor Diane Jackson told Carlisle Magistrates’ Court: “This all started as a result of Mr Ireland having some work done on an alloy wheel which he wasn’t satisfied with.”

Ireland proceeded to bombard the manager with phone calls from a withheld number in which a threat was made to 'stab' him.

There was also vile personal abuse directed to the man and his partner with the manager saying: “It is strange not to get a phone call every day. I would assume every call from a withheld number is from this individual.

"If I don’t answer the calls he will just ring and ring until I do.

“The calls did make me feel threatened,” he added of the initial impact, but did say: “Because they have been so often I no longer feel threatened. I feel irritated more than threatened now.”

Describing some calls, the man recalled there being silence or noises which 'sounded like sexual grunting'.

“He would call all hours of the day and night,” said the man, who was unable to block the illegal contact because it was made on a business number.

Mrs Jackson said threats escalated in February this year 'when he did mention that he would have him shot'.

The man had learned Ireland’s identity, view Ireland’s Facebook profile and saw a picture of him 'brandishing a shotgun'.

“I was terrified,” he stated.

Ireland, of Townfoot Park, Brampton, admitted a charge of harassment without violence when he appeared in court.

Giving mitigation, solicitor Chris Toms spoke of an 'unusual', 'unfortunate' and 'sad' case.

Ireland felt the alloy wheel repair work had been 'substandard' and, said Mr Toms, had initially engaged with the company about that.

“When the client (Ireland) felt he did not receive reparation or compensation, essentially he seems to have lost control of the situation and himself,” said the lawyer.

“It is a ridiculous course of action. He is ashamed of himself. He does accept he has made over 400 calls.

"Quite simply he has lost the plot.”

Magistrates imposed a 12-month community order through which Ireland must complete 200 hours’ unpaid work.

They imposed a 12-month restraining order — banning Ireland from having any contact with the manager, partner and business — after they concluded this was both 'necessary and proportionate'.