Woman’s wait for knife fate

A woman lost the plot, produced an eight-inch-long knife and began“stabbing” her ex-partner’s sofa when she went to collect her possessions after their nine-month relationship ended.

Police, who had been called to the Blairgowrie flat, could hear her“shouting and screaming incoherently,” depute fiscal Tina Dickie told Perth Sheriff Court.

“Officers went into the living room and found her sitting on the floor, holding the knife.”

They managed to disarm her but as she was being led from the living room, she booted a table, damaging it.

Hurley had her sentence deferred until tomorrow

(June 2) when she is set to appear on another knife charge.

The accused, of Coach Road, Coupar Angus, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards Christopher Neil, putting him in a state of fear and alarm, at a house in Glenalmond Road, Blairgowrie, on May 19, 2021.

She also pled guilty to wilfully or recklessly repeatedly striking the couch with the blade and kicking the table.

She was subject to an April 30, 2021, bail order from the Perth court at the time.

Ms Dickie described the accused’s behaviour as “erratic.”

She added:“Mr Neil came to the conclusion she must be under the influence of drink or drugs.

“He tried to calm her down, however, she became increasingly aggressive and produced the large, silver knife from her holdall.”

He went into the kitchen, from where he could see her stabbing the sofa with the blade.

A solicitor for the accused said Hurley had been convicted on April 30 of being in possession of a knife - and had now been remanded in respect of the latest incidents.

She was suffering from depression and anxiety and had not“coped very well”with being in prison.

Sheriff Pino Di Emidio said he was prepared to grant her bail meantime -“with a degree of hesitancy.”

But he imposed three special conditions, banning her from entering Glenalmond Road or approaching or contacting her ex-partner.

She will also have to stay indoors from 7pm-7am each day.

A motion to forfeit the blade was continued until tomorrow.