Jilted lover, 36, wore prosthetic baby bump and faked pregnancy for months to target her ex in bizarre stalking campaign
- Jaclyn McGowan, 36, faked pregnancy for nine months to trick ex and his family
- She lied to the family about pregnancy, even giving them a name and due date
- She demanded £300 for a cot and told ex, Jamie Aitken, she had a miscarriage
- McGowan has admitted to stalking and will be sentenced in February
A jilted lover wore a fake baby bump while lying about a pregnancy for nine months to target her ex in a bizarre stalking campaign.
Jaclyn McGowan, 36, kept up the bizarre pretence after a brief relationship with Jamie Aitken ended in 2019.
Between June that summer and February 2020, McGowan would contact Mr Aitken, along with his mother, to discuss the make-believe baby’s name, due date and even demand cash for its cot.
On one occasion she arrived at Mr Aitken’s workplace in Dundee wearing a prosthetic baby bump to discuss the pregnancy.
McGowan has admitted to a charge of stalking and will be sentenced next month.
Jaclyn McGowan, 36, lied to her ex and his family about being pregnant for nine months – even demanding cash for a cot and claiming to have had a miscarriage
Perth Sheriff Court heard today McGowan’s deception was so detailed that she had even given the non-existent baby a name, Noah, and was discussing due dates with various people.
She admitted that between 1 June 2019 and 29 February last year she engaged in a course of conduct which caused fear or alarm to a man and members of his family.
McGowan, from Rattray, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, admitted pretending to Jamie Aitken that she was pregnant with his child during the bizarre sequence of events.
She sent him a picture of a cot and requested he give her £300 to pay for it, and advised him that she was having miscarriages.
McGowan, from Rattray, Perthshire sent numerous messages to Jamie Aitken telling him he would having to do with his ‘son’. She later arrived at Mr Aitken’s brother’s workplace in Dundee saying he could ‘play a part in the boy’s life’
She sent him numerous messages to say he would play no part in her baby’s life and then she contacted his mother Wendy Aitken.
McGowan told Mrs Aitken she was pregnant with her grandchild and sent scan photos and details of fictitious pregnancy-related appointments to her.
McGowan, who had a very brief relationship with Mr Aitken last summer, told his mother her son would not attend pre-natal appointments with her.
McGowan also went on to tell Mrs Aitken that the baby would be her grandson, was going to be called Noah, and was due to be born on 28 March 2020.
She carried on the act by telling Mrs Aitken she would be able to play a part in bringing her ‘grandson’ up after his birth.
McGowan targeted other members of the family and told Corrie Aitken that she was carrying his brother’s unborn child.
She admitted turning up at Corrie Aitken’s workplace – Ryze Trampoline Park in Dundee – and telling him that he could ‘play a part in the boy’s life.’
McGowan, who was not present in court yesterday, admitted turning up at the trampoline park ‘whilst wearing a prosthetic baby bump.’
McGowan targeted other members of the family and told Corrie Aitken that she was carrying his brother’s unborn child during a random visit to his workplace, Ryze Trampoline Park in Dundee
Solicitor Mike Tavendale told the court: ‘She now enters a plea of guilty to the amended charge. Looking simply at the terms of the libel, this is a case which will require reports.’
He said his client had a number of issues, while fiscal depute Lisa Marshall confirmed that McGowan had no previous convictions.
Sheriff Neil Bowie said: ‘I can see it is an unusual charge in itself. Sentence will have to be deferred for a criminal justice social work report.’
McGowan, who had appeared and pled not guilty at an earlier hearing, was ordained to appear for sentence next month.