A MAUCHLINE man has appeared in court accused of attacking and injuring his ex – and by tracking her movements with an app.

Alexander Kerr, 60, is alleged to have repeatedly abused his then partner and to have behaved in a controlling fashion towards her over a period of almost five months.

Mr Kerr, of Alexander Terrace, is accused of behaving in an abusive manner towards the woman at his home address, as well as at a school in Auchinleck, a layby on the B705 Mauchline-Auchinleck road, a car park on Loudoun Street in Mauchline, Sloan Street in Catrine, and elsewhere between February 1 and June 23, 2021.

It's claimed that he repeatedly took the woman's mobile phone from her and that he read her emails, social media accounts and messages.

Prosecutors allege that he repeatedly tracked her movements and that he demanded to know where she was and who she was with, allegedly through use of an app on her phone.

Mr Kerr is also accused of uttering offensive remarks towards the woman and of sending her abusive messages.

The Crown's indictment claims that he turned up at the woman's home uninvited and that he damaged her phone, stole her phone and deleted messages from the device, and also that he repeatedly threatened her with violence, and brandished a set of keys at her, holding them to her face.

The charges also allege that Mr Kerr brandished a knitting needle and an ornament and that he seized hold of the woman's clothing and struck her on the head.

He is alleged to have thrown the woman to the ground, to have repeatedly kicked her on the body, and to have climbed on top of her and put his first into her mouth.

Prosecutors also claim he threw the woman on to a table and seized hold of her by her hair and neck, all to her injury.

Mr Kerr, represented by defence solicitor Robert Logan, pleaded not guilty to the charge during a hearing at Ayr Sheriff Court last week.

Bail was continued and he will return to court at a later date.