Hairdreser smashed PC during library row Woman was arguing with boyfriend
A crimper smashed up a public library computer during a struggle with her boyfriend, a court was told.
Hair salon manager Victoria Paterson, 26, lost the plot with Patrick Walker, 31, at the library inside Barrhead Foundry after he refused to hand back her house keys.
Paisley Sheriff Court heard the salon boss burst into the library and began shouting and swearing at Walker, of Barrhead, with whom she had been in a relationship.
Fiscal depute Emma Jeffrey said: “The incident happened at around 3pm at Barrhead Foundry on May 15, 2017, where Patrick Walker was on the public computers.
“Paterson entered and made her way to Mr Walker.
“She began shouting and swearing at him.
“She then slapped him on the head.
“He began shouting back at her, telling her to ‘f*** off.’
“He told her: ‘ You are an embarrassment, disrespectful.’
“They then began to struggle with each other.
“During this, they banged against the computer desk causing the computer to fall off.
“The result was the computer smashed.
“Staff members witnessed this incident. They both left the premises where they continued to argue with each other.”
The court was told Walker returned to the library to apologise to staff where he was met with police.
The fiscal added: “He told police: ‘The bird is a psycho.’”
This week, Paterson pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening and abusive manner likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear and alarm by shouting, swearing, and entering into a struggle causing a computer to smash.
She also admitted a charge of assault on Patrick Walker by striking him on the head.
Her defence agent told how Paterson was at the end of her tether with Walker who had refused to hand back her house keys after she ended their relationship.
He said: “She had been in a relationship with Walker but was a victim of domestic abuse.
“She has her own house. She finished with him when she realised what kind of person she was dealing with. “He took her house keys. “He claimed she couldn’t finish with him because of a family dog which he wished to walk.
“She felt intimidated by him emotionally. She had gone to get her keys back at a public place thinking she would be safe.”
Sheriff Frances McCartney showed mercy to the hairdresser, of Cherry Bank Gardens, Newton Mearns, by fining her £500 to be paid to East Renfrewshire Council to cover the cost of the computer.
She also fined her £270 for the assault at Barrhead Foundry.
Paterson was allowed three months to pay.