Sisterattack mangiven supervision
A Stirling man who had punched and kicked his sister over an argument about his dog was this week given supervision and unpaid work.
Andrew Crawford had admitted assaulting Kirsten Crawford at his mother’s address in Main Street, St Ninians, on November 1 last year.
The 47-year-old, of St Ninians Court, also pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer by pushing him and causing him to fall onto a couch.
Crawford had been living with his mother Mary at the time of the incident.
Crawford, his 75-year-old mother and his sister Kirsten (45) had all been in the Main Street house that day.
The accused, the court heard, had been in a bad mood because he had misplaced some money.
Shortly before 4pm the accused began to get angry at his sister. She had been playing with his dog and the animal had refused to come to Crawford when called.
Crawford stood up, went over to his sister, and punched her on the head and kicked her on the legs.
Ms Crawford put her hands up to protect herself, but it continued before going into the kitchen. His sister followed him into the kitchen but Crawford continued to assault her.
Their mother tried to separate them, but unable to do so contacted the police. The attack continued until the police arrived.
Since Crawford had nowhere else to stay that evening the police arrested him. However, on doing so Crawford pushed an officer on the chest which caused him to fall onto the couch. Crawford was then restrained by officers.
Solicitor Virgil Crawford told the court that a report prepared for the court suggested that his client could benefit from supervision and had been assessed as being suitable for unpaid work.
He accepted that Crawford had a “significant conviction”from the High Court in 1990. He also had two convictions at district court level“for which he was admonished and fined £25”as well as a road tax disc matter.
The lawyer stressed however:“He is not somebody with a propensity for violence on a regular basis.”
Sheriff Wyllie Robertson sentenced Crawford to a community payback order comprising 12 months’supervision and 180 hours’unpaid work to be completed within nine months.