Man threatened neighbours

A Bannockburn man who threatened to get his girlfriend to assault a neighbour has been warned he faces jail if he reoffends.

Colin Dennis Dawson, of Davidson Street, had admitted a charge of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner on July 19 this year.

Stirling Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday that there had been a history of bad feeling between the 41-year-old accused and his neighbours, the Connollys, which had led to difficulties in the past.

On July 19 at 1.30pm Irene Connolly and daughter Selena were in a property nearby, with Selena’s daughter playing in the garden.

Seeing Dawson in Davidson Street, Selena Connolly spoke to him about excessive noise at night which had caused difficulties getting her children to sleep.

An argument developed and Dawson returned to his own house. About an hour later Selena Connolly went to visit a neighbour.

As she passed the accused’s house he came out and started shouting at her: ‘I’m going get my girlfriend to snap her.’

Ms Connolly took this as his girlfriend doing something violent to her.

Irene Connolly went to see what was going on. She saw Dawson at this door shouting at her daughter before his mother got him back indoors.

Selena Connolly reported the matter to the police who attended.

When officers spoke to Dawson he admitted he had drunk a half bottle of vodka.

Cautioned and charged, he replied:‘I want to know what you are doing about them.’

His agent Lynn Swann told Sheriff Simon Collins her client had been experiencing difficulties with his neighbours.

He had spent a night in custody in relation to this matter, but when he returned home on bail there had been no further difficulties. She pointed out that while Dawson had a lengthy criminal record, he only had one similar conviction of this nature.

Other offences had included domestic matters and crimes of dishonesty linked to his drug use.

However, a drug treatment and testing order imposed in 2016 which ended in August had seen an improvement in Dawson’s condition.

Sheriff Collins observed that while Dawson had a “dreadful”criminal record he had managed to stay out of trouble since 2016.

He deferred sentence for Dawson to be of good behaviour until March 20 and continued bail.

Sheriff Collins told Dawson to stay away from the neighbours concerned and to stay out of trouble.

He said:“You might say that it’s not all one way. Nevertheless, you are the one in the dock and facing a prison sentence – because of your record – if you do not stay out of trouble.

“If you reoffend, particularly in relation to these neighbours I might consider a custodial sentence.”