**Former Police Officer Convicted of Stalking Colleague Over Affair with Her Husband**
A former police officer, 61-year-old Maria Avarl, has been convicted of stalking a fellow officer, Susan Alexander, following revelations of an alleged affair with Alexander’s husband. The court heard that Avarl sent suggestive messages and left explicit letters detailing her purported sexual relationship with police officer Michael Stobie on Ms Alexander’s car windscreen.
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The incident has drawn attention not only for its bizarre nature but also for highlighting the complex dynamics among law enforcement personnel. Avarl and Stobie allegedly had a year-long affair from 2023 to 2024. Stobie later married Alexander in 2025. Tensions escalated when Avarl approached Alexander while she was at work at Paisley Sheriff Court. During this unexpected confrontation, Avarl claimed she had been in a long-term relationship with Stobie, which ignited a campaign of harassment against Alexander.
According to the evidence presented in Greenock Sheriff Court, Avarl began her harassment campaign by sending messages to Alexander’s sister. However, the most shocking act occurred when Avarl slapped a four-page letter, detailing explicit claims regarding her sexual encounters with Stobie, onto the windscreen of Alexander’s car. Alarmingly, Avarl was later seen loitering near Alexander’s residential area, adding to the atmosphere of intimidation.
In court, Susan Alexander described her shock upon hearing Avarl’s claims and recounted that her husband denied any sexual relationship, insisting it was merely a friendship. Avarl’s attempts to reach out continued when she sent social media requests to Alexander’s sister and niece, further illustrating her obsession. The letter found on Alexander’s car alarmed her further; it included a warning of ‘sexually explicit content’ and stated, “I have no interest in you remaining together or not.”
Ultimately, Sheriff Maxwell Hendry found Avarl guilty of stalking, stating her actions were harmful and caused excessive anxiety to Alexander. Avarl has been issued a non-harassment order for a duration of three years, prohibiting any future contact with Alexander.
Avarl defended her actions by claiming she wished to inform Alexander for her own well-being, asserting that she felt overwhelmed by the situation. Nevertheless, Sheriff Hendry highlighted that Avarl’s behaviour had clearly crossed professional and ethical boundaries, with the intent to alarm and intimidate her victim.
This unsettling case raises serious questions about boundaries, ethics, and mental health in high-pressure professions such as law enforcement. It serves as a stark reminder of how personal relationships can sometimes lead to actions that have serious consequences, not just for those directly involved, but for the entire community.