Man in court for staring at Nicola Sturgeon Published duration 15 October 2013

image caption The court heard how the alleged conduct caused the deputy first minister fear and alarm

A man has appeared in court charged with staring at Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

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

Court papers suggest he "engaged in course of conduct" which caused "fear and alarm".

No plea was given and the case was continued at Glasgow Sheriff Court until next month for a psychiatric assessment.

Arslan, from Battlefield, Glasgow, is alleged to have carried out the offence between October and December 2012.

Sheriff only

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

Arslan was arrested last year and appeared in private at the court on 14 December, 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 a sheriff only, without a jury.

Ms Sturgeon, 43, has been deputy first minister of Scotland since 2007 and deputy leader of the SNP since 2004.