A COMPANY director who went on trial over claims he stalked a Johnstone woman has walked free from court after a jury found the charges against him not proven.

Gordon Cameron Bell, who is known as Cameron, was accused of attacking his fiancee Sharon McKeane, as well as telling her he had a brain tumour and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in a bid to stop her leaving him.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard that Mr Bell, 53, treated Ms McKeane to lavish gifts such as Louis Vuitton handbags and meals at Glasgow restaurants such as The Rogano.

It was stated that 44-year-old Ms McKeane grew tired of his constant texts and Facebook messages demanding to know where she was and what she was doing.

The jury heard that, in a desperate bid to manipulate her into staying with him, Mr Bell told the divorced mum that he had debilitating illnesses.

The court was told his treatment of her became so bad that she had to call the police, who arrested him.

The details emerged as Mr Bell went on trial for allegedly stalking Ms McKeane.

He denied repeatedly assaulting her and continually behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards her over a 15-month period.

It was claimed that Mr Bell caused Ms McKeane fear and alarm by stalking her between September 2014 and December 2015, repeatedly turning up at her work at Ravenswood Surgery, in Johnstone, continually going to her home uninvited, loitering outside her flat, following her on a night out with friends and repeatedly sending her abusive text and Facebook messages.

He also denied repeatedly assaulting her by pouring water over her, spitting on her, grabbing her by the body, preventing her from leaving, grabbing her by the throat and strangling her.

And Mr Bell denied a third charge of repeatedly shouting and swearing at Ms McKeane, acting aggressively towards her, making derogatory comments to her, refusing to leave her home and cutting up one of her jackets.

The couple had met through Facebook and went on a date in September 2014, with Ms McKeane describing Mr Bell as "charismatic, charming and a gentleman" who "ticked all the boxes."

Their relationship flourished but the court heard that he became controlling and possessive.

It was stated that, when Ms McKeane tried to leave him, he told her he had a brain tumour and was suffering from PTSD.

She told the jury: "He would go from sending me nice messages then to aggressive messages.

"I would have to always over-elaborate to him the relationship was over.

"Cameron never, ever took 'no' for an answer. I would say, 'when I say it's over, I mean it's over.'

"At the beginning of the relationship, I had to say I had plans. If I said I didn't have plans, he'd ask me why I didn't want to see him.

"He had the habit of just turning up. He bombarded me with phone calls and text messages."

Ms McKeane claimed that Mr Bell, a director of an office administration firm, once hid from sight and attacked her in Johnstone town centre while she was out jogging.

She added: "Cameron jumped out at me, he grabbed my shoulder.

"I stopped and ran round him. He chased after me. I stopped in Ludovic Square. He put his hands round my throat. He choked me, I couldn't breathe, it lasted a few seconds.

"He stopped and started crying. He said 'sorry.' I felt guilty."

Ms McKeane also said Mr Bell threw a glass of water over her while she was enjoying a night out in Glasgow with a friend.

However, after hearing that, despite all the abuse, Ms McKeane agreed to marry Mr Bell in September 2015, the jury acquitted him.

After three hours of deliberations, they found all three charges against Mr Bell, from Kilmarnock, not proven by majority and he walked free from court.