Spat at ex is alleged

Bail with special condition

A Bridge of Allan woman is alleged to have spat at a former partner – from whom she had separated 35 years ago – in a Stirling shopping centre last week.

Agnes Vann, of Lyon Crescent, is said to have spat on Vincent Crossley at The Thistles on Monday, December 18.

When the 52-year-old appeared at Stirling Sheriff Court from custody on Wednesday December 20 she pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault aggravated by abuse of a partner or ex-partner.

Her solicitor Virgil Crawford asked the court to grant her bail.

Fiscal depute Lindsey Brooks said the Crown was not opposed in principle to bail, but wished to impose a special bail condition that Vann does not approach or contact Mr Crossley.

This, she added, was necessary “on the basis of continuing aggressive dislike” shown towards the complainer – and a record which included “a historical High Court conviction”.

Vann’s agent Virgil Crawford told Sheriff Wyllie Robertson: “I didn’t ask [the accused] if the convicition from 1983 involved the same complainer, but she tells me that it did.”

The solicitor also referred to “one matter in 2000” and “a road traffic matter at the JP Court in 2011”.

Mr Crawford told Sheriff Robertson: “This is a case where parties were involved in a relationship many years ago and separated 35 years ago.

“They happened upon one another in the Thistle Shopping Centre. They are at different addresses and have been for some time”.

Asked to explain “continuing aggressive dislike” by Sheriff Robertson, Ms Brooks referred to a police report. She said it stated that despite the parties not having had any contact in 35 years, Ms Vann had made several derogatory comments about him.

Sheriff Robertson set the trial for February 12 with an intermediate diet of January 23. He granted Vann bail with the special condition.

They happened upon one another . . .