A COUPLE have told how they were put in fear for their lives by a Laird who claimed to be an M15 agent with a license to carry guns.

Tom and Elizabeth-Ann Machin received an anonymous note saying that Nail Campbell “was ruthless” and had worked for the secret service in the Middle East during.

Mr Campbell, who owns Rowallan Castle and the estate near Kilmaurs, East Ayrshire, where the couple lived, was convicted of harassing the couple at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court earlier this year.

He wanted the couple to leave his estate, and was rowing with them at their neighbours at the time.

Speaking after Mr Campbell failed to have the conviction overturned at the Court of Appeal, Mr Machin said that he and his wife had endured two-and-a-half years of worry because of his actions.

Mr Machin said: "We suspected from the outset that Mr Campbell had authored the anonymous, threatening letter. We heard nothing at the trial to change our view.

"The letter, with its implied threat to shoot me, has caused my wife especially two and a half years of worry, anguish and stress at a time when she was unwell through her still receiving treatment following chemotherapy for breast cancer and receiving counselling for its mental effects

"We both believe that the letter, together with associated actions identified below, has delayed her recovery, affecting her quality of life through persistent fear of potential attacks on me."

The letter - which was partially typed and handwritten - Campbell liked to appear "Worzel Gummidge- like" but was "ruthless and licensed to carry side arms."

Worzel Gummidge was a scarecrow character in a series of children's books.

Mr Machin added: "Her worries have arisen and been exacerbated by the actions and track record of Mr Campbell who to our knowledge has demonstrated consistently and persistently impulsive and erratic behaviour during our time at Rowallan while for much of the time being the holder of a firearms certificate."

During the appeal on Tuesday defence advocate Keith Stewart QC told Sheriff Principal Derek Pyle, Sheriff Nigel Ross and Sheriff Kenneth Maciver QC that Mr Campbell's conviction was a mistake.

He argued that the evidence available to Sheriff McDonald didn't corroborate the prosecution case.

However, the appeal sheriffs disagreed and ruled that Sheriff McDonald had acted correctly in her judgement.