Violent outburst with a walking stick

Violence erupted in a Coupar Angus house when a 21-year-old woman went on the rampage with a walking stick.

Megan Duffy, of Church Place, then hurled a bottle through the window of the property, endangering the occupants - and showering Kevin Traynor with shards of broken glass.

She has been given the chance to avoid a further prison sentence and has been ordered to be of good behaviour until February 7 next year.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis ordered a supplementary background report on the female after she admitted that she wilfully or recklessly struck the ceiling of a house in Japp Square, Coupar Angus, on February 25 this year with the walking aid. She then smashed glasses and ornaments during the violent episode.

She also pled guilty to a second charge that she culpably and recklessly, with “utter disregard for the consequences”, threw the bottle through the window there, resulting in Mr Traynor, who was sitting inside, being hit by the missile and pieces of shattered glass.

Not guilty pleas were accepted on her behalf by solicitor Steve Lafferty to two further charges, one of assault.

She had been accused of seizing Laura Gillie by the hair, pulling it to her injury, and brandishing the walking stick, banging it on a table and overturning bins.

Depute fiscal Carol Whyte said Duffy had been drinking in the house with friends but had been asked to leave about 9.45pm.

“When that happened, she began to swing the walking stick randomly, in a menacing manner.”

She banged it on a table, smashing several bottles, glasses and small ornaments. She then swung it upwards, smashing a light on the ceiling.

She was physically removed from the property but once outside, she threw a bottle of wine through the living room window, causing a large hole. The missile struck Mr Traynor who was sitting on a sofa directly under the window.

“The bottle struck him on his neck and some of the broken glass also landed on him,” added the fiscal.

Solicitor Mr Lafferty said she is currently serving an eight-month sentence for assault and is due to be released on November 17.

He revealed that a Community Payback Order had also been imposed on his client just 10 days before this latest offence.

Sheriff Foulis said he was prepared to see how the accused progressed on the order following her impending release.

“I am giving you an opportunity to indicate that having served the eight months - and a previous sentence of detention - the penny is beginning to drop.”

Duffy was given the eight months behind bars after pleading guilty to a catalogue of charges, including police assault, following trouble at a Blairgowrie care home.

The court was told on that occasion that a police officer had two stitches inserted in a gash to her lip after she was struck with the handcuffs she was using in a bid to restrain the accused. The court heard she had been on a “three-day bender”.

PC Jill Christie was taken to Perth Royal Infirmary for treatment after the violent encounter - and she could be left with a permanent scar.

The incident arose when Duffy snapped after turning up at Northlands Home, Woodlands Road, Blairgowrie, where her mother worked.