Yob’s outburst on garage forecourt Man filled bottle with fuel then tried to buy matches
A Stirling man filled up an empty screen wash bottle with fuel during an outburst at a city petrol station before asking an attendant for matches.
John Tombling admitted a charge of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner at the Shell garage on Kerse Road on July 16 this year.
The charge had previously stated Tombling had made threats to blow up the petrol station, but the 37-year-old’s guilty plea to an amended charge was accepted by the Crown.
He also pleaded guilty to failing to provide two specimens of breath on July 17.
Stirling Sheriff Court heard last week that a female shop assistant had been on duty at the Kerse Road garage at 10.30pm on July 16.
She became aware of Tombling having a verbal altercation with customers at a pump in the forecourt and offered to contact the police.
Fiscal depute Robbie McDougall said the accused then directed his aggression at the garage worker, shouting ‘is that how it’s going to be?’ before making an insulting remark.
Alarmed, the assistant made her way back into the kiosk, locked the door, and called the police.
Tombling remained at the scene shouting and swearing while the worker continued to serve customers, during which she authorised a pump by mistake.
The accused then filled an empty screen wash bottle with fuel and went to the kiosk. He asked the shop assistant for matches which she refused to give him.
Tombling eventually agreed to pay for the fuel, Mr McDougall added.
Police arrived a short time later and the accused was still at the scene. When arrested he became aggressive and was put into the cell of a police van.
Mr McDougall also pointed out that witnesses had told police Tombling had previously been seen driving that night.
At 1am the following day at
Falkirk Police office Tombling failed to provide two specimens of breath by sucking and blowing on the breathalyser despite the advice given by officers.
Tombling, of Middlemuir Road, Stirling, admitted a third charge of being four times over the alcohol limit at the Wallace Monument car park on June 23 this year. The proportion of alchol in his breath was 89mg in 100ml. The limit being 22mg.
His agent Virgil Crawford told Sheriff Derek Hamilton that his client had an alcohol problem but was seeking help from his GP and alcohol recovery services.
Tombling’s relationship with his wife was improving and there was talk of reconciliation, Mr Crawford added.
Sheriff Hamilton disqualified Tombling from driving for five years on the charge of failing to provide two specimens of breath and three years on the charge of drink driving at the Wallace Monument car park. The bans will run concurrently.
He told Tombling that he was also minded to impose imprisonment, but noted that he would benefit from help with his alcohol problem.
Sheriff Hamilton deferred sentence until May next year for a supplementary report and for Tombling to be of good behaviour meantime.