Abusive outburst included threat to kill

A drunken Perth man unleashed a vile torrent of abuse at a woman in a city centre housing block, at one point threatening to kill her if she didn’t “leave him alone.”

The police were called and initially 48-year-old Lawrence Winters, of The Rookery, Muirton, cooperated with them.

But depute fiscal Bill Kermode told Perth Sheriff Court: “He became agitated, started to shout and swear and was arrested when he refused to desist.”

He paid the penalty for his belligerent attitude when he was jailed for four months.

He admitted that on July 27, 2019, at St Catherine’s Square, he repeatedly shouted and swore, made violent threats and abusive remarks and refused to stop when requested.

He was subject to July 23 and 24 bail orders from the Perth Court at the time.

The court was told that officers received a call to go to the property and remove the accused from a room there.

He initially left but then returned and made the “kill” threat.

He then stood outside and was “initially engaging” with the officers but he again hurled abuse and was taken into custody.

Winters also admitted a second charge of shoplifting from Primark’s St John’s Shopping Centre store on August 1, 2019.

He was subject to three bail orders, including one from July 29, at that time.

His varied haul comprised a packet of sweets, a bottle of fragrance, a gift set, three hats and a quantity of hair accessories.

Solicitor Paul Ralph accepted that his client had a “long record.”

He had split up with his partner, both of whom were “fighting their own addictions.” His was alcohol and hers was drugs. “He had been drinking to blot out the fact he couldn’t get his relationship back on track.

Sheriff William Wood jailed him for four months on each charge, with one of the prison sentences backdated to August 2, when he had been remanded in custody.