Man in trouble just one day after being released from prison

A drug-crazed Fife man who attempted to force entry to the home of a stranger in the middle of the night was jailed when he appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

William Marshall had only been out of prison for one day when he found himself back in the hands of police on November 24 at a property on Clunie Road in Dunfermline.

The 35-year-old went to the address at around 3.50am where he began banging on the door and shouting through the letterbox while on the hunt for drugs.

A woman, who lived on her own, initially went to the door thinking it may have been her daughter but was left terrified when she found Marshall trying the handle.

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia told Dunfermline Sheriff Court: “The complainer is a woman who lives on her own.

“She was in bed when, at 3.50am, she heard a knock at her door.

“She thought maybe it was her daughter calling at her house after work. She went to the door and asked who it was.

“She heard a male’s voice saying, ‘It’s Willie. Open the door. I’m looking for Xanax’.

“She was shocked and told him to go away. The accused continued to shout, asking for Xanax. He opened the letterbox and was shouting through it repeatedly.

“He was also trying the door handle then began banging on the door.

“The complainer was frightened. She then heard scraping on the door and thought he was trying to force entry.”

Sheriff Charles MacNair sent Marshall, who had been staying in Bute Crescent, back to prison for 238 days.