An SNP councillor has opened up about a four-year 'campaign of harassment' felt by herself and her family since she was first elected in 2016.

Julie McKenzie claimed her cat was poisoned last month following several years of difficulties, including her tyres being slashed and her kids being 'seriously' bullied.

The Oban North and Lorn councillor revealed the extent of the harassment to the Daily Record, and said her family had not experienced this level of hatred before she was elected.

The 46-year-old said she has faced a torrent of abuse on social media, spamming of her email account and something 'revolting' being put through her letterbox.

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It got to the stage where the councillor decided to move house because of bullying of her children, and she said: "I just wanted my kids out of that situation."

She added: “It seemed to be political – I can’t think of any other reason for it. We never suffered any harassment prior to me being elected in 2016.”

Last month, she found her cat Rowan covered in a 'strange, sticky substance', and recognised the smell as garlic.

She said: “I googled cats and garlic and that’s when I got a real fright, because it became immediately obvious that garlic can be a real problem for cats.”

Ms McKenzie reported the incident to the police after being advised to by her vet, and Police Scotland have since reported a woman to the procurator fiscal.

The councillor believes “it was an attempt to kill the cat”.

McKenzie went on: “We just want to be left alone, so my kids can be kids, free from any form of harassment at their home, and where I can do my job.

“The things that keep happening to my family seem to be forming a pattern. This is not normal.

“I would hope that we could live in a more tolerant society, where everybody is accepting of differing views, without resorting to abusing politicians.”

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Asked whether her support for Scottish independence could have been a factor in the cat attack, she said: “It could be.”

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Around 4:55pm on May 14, 2020, police received a report of an unknown substance being found in a garden.

"As a result of enquiries, a 50-year-old woman has been reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

“She was not arrested and charged and therefore was not released on an undertaking.”