Police were called to an Aberdeenshire property when a man became “threatening and abusive” towards his frightened family after losing his temper over a pizza.
Alan Thornton appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday, having been arrested following the incident on the evening of Friday December 7.
The court heard that officers were called to his home on Price Close in Kintore after the 54-year-old became abusive towards his wife and adult step-daughter, while the latter filmed his rampage on her phone.
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Depute fiscal Anne Macdonald, said: “The accused had consumed too much alcohol, and took offence to something of quite an innocent nature when a pizza was being discussed.
“He started to become angry at his partner and there was an argument, with the accused becoming ever more aggressive.”
The court heard that things then “turned violent” when Thornton punched walls and damaged items of furniture.
The fiscal added: “The complainers were frightened about what was going to happen next and Mrs Thornton went to her bedroom to get away from her husband.
“The adult step-daughter was so scared that she decided to record his behaviour on her phone, while he went to the bedroom and shouted and swore at his wife.”
He later admitted behaving in a “threatening or abusive manner” towards his partner, Yelena Thornton and her daughter, Anood Al-Suwaid.
Defence agent Michael Burnett said his client was “very ashamed” of his conduct on the night in question.
The lawyer added: “This is the first problem he has had of this sort. He had been experiencing underlying issues relating to finances.
“This had been bubbling under the surface.”
Sheriff William Summers fined the accused £600.
He said: “This was a disgraceful episode, which must have been very frightening for your family.”
