AN Aberystwyth county and town councillor was left “frightened” and fearing for his family after receiving abusive phone calls and a threat of a “good slapping”.

Plaid Cymru’s Mark Strong said text messages and phone calls he received between 4 October and 30 November last year from Mark Robert Bolderston, 54, had “always been at the back of my mind” and had left him fearful for the safety of his family.

Cllr Strong said he had even been concerned about attending the election count in Aberaeron on 4 May as he knew that Bolderston was standing in the county council election in a different ward, eventually losing out to Lib Dem, Ceredig Davies.

Bolderston, of 15 Cambrian Square, Llanbadarn Road, pleaded guilty on the day of a trial at Aberystwyth Magistrates Court on Wednesday to a charge of harassment without violence toward Cllr Strong, after initially denying the offence.

Prosecutor Rhys Thomas said, while Bolderston and Cllr Strong aren’t known to each other, Cllr Strong received a text message from a number he didn’t recognise, which turned out to be from Bolderston’s phone.

The message said: “Haven’t got the money” and Cllr Strong replied asking who had sent the message, to which Bolderston replied “Dad”.

Bolderston then called Cllr Strong and asked to speak to ‘Meleri’.

When Cllr Strong said he had the wrong number, Bolderston insisted that he didn’t and said Meleri must be with him, before saying: “You lot, I know where you live. Going to get a good slapping.”

Days later, Cllr Strong received another call from Bolderston who was swearing down the phone, and Cllr Strong again said he had the wrong number.

Mr Thomas said Cllr Strong received another five calls over the two days of 29 and 30 November.

In a victim impact statement, Cllr Strong said he had “felt frightened” and was concerned for his family’s safety.

He said that, while canvassing for the recent election, the calls from Bolderston were “always at the back of my mind”.

Bolderston, who represented himself in court, said that he apologised for any stress that he had caused Cllr Strong, but said that he “doesn’t even know what Cllr Strong looks like”.

He told magistrates that as an “intelligent, civilised man” he “doesn’t believe in violence and never have done”, so Cllr Strong was never in danger of violence.

Magistrates imposed a 12-month restraining order on Bolderston to stay away from Cllr Strong.

He was also fined £100 and ordered to pay costs of £230.