A Turriff man who tore up his partner’s home during an argument will be forced to undertake unpaid work within the community.
Jamie Calder appeared at Banff Sheriff Court for sentencing after having previously admitted to causing fear and alarm to a woman between the evening of April 29 and morning of April 30 this year.
The 29-year-old had been drunk at the time of the offence, the court heard.
‘Appeared in a disgruntled mood’
Fiscal depute Anne Mann gave a narrative of Calder’s behaviour, saying that his partner reported he had entered her property at about 5pm.
“[She] noted that he appeared in a disgruntled mood,” Ms Mann said.
“A minor argument developed between the couple and the accused left the property. He returned having consumed alcohol and became more intoxicated during the course of the evening.
“At around nine o’clock in the evening [she] was trying to avoid the accused and avoid any further conflict. She had moved to the bedroom. The accused followed her and an argument occurred.
“[She] moved downstairs within the locus with the accused again following her and began to shout and swear, and generally utter abusive comments towards her.”
Calder’s behaviour would escalate when his partner told him to leave her alone.
He began to throw “anything he could find” within the living room and kitchen, including flipping a sofa and kicking a hole through it and punching a clock in her hall.
Calder would leave the home at about midnight, returning in the early morning where he was met by the police.
Alcohol to blame for behaviour
Calder’s defence agent, Stuart Beveridge, said his client had previous convictions for similar behaviour, which he claimed was “down to his drinking”.
Calder, he said, had been receiving treatment for his alcohol misuse but had “relapsed” following the death of a family member.
“It’s fortunate his partner is still supportive of him,” he added.
“He has stopped drinking again since this incident.”
Ordering him to undertake 80 hours of unpaid work over the next six months, Sheriff Robert McDonald also told Calder, of Mackenzie Gardens, he would be under the supervision of the council’s social work department for the next nine months.