Wife’s abusive behaviour recorded on mobile phone

A woman kicked a police officer and threw a box at another when they turned up to investigate a domestic incident at her family home.

Police called at Caroline Barclay’s address at Westwind, Connel, after her husband contacted them for advice, Oban Sheriff Court heard last week. Barclay’s drinking had degenerated into an ‘unpleasant scene’, the court was told.

She had been behaving abusively to her partner between August 6 and August 7 this year but had fallen into a drunken sleep during that time before waking to continue. Some of her behaviour was recorded on a mobile phone, and during that time she also kicked a door.

Barclay’s behaviour continued in the presence of two police officers and her aggression turned towards them.

‘The police not surprisingly had little patience with that behaviour and arrested her,’ said procurator fiscal Kevin Docherty.

Barclay pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening and abusive manner to her husband and also to assaulting the two police officers.

The court also heard that on September 14 Barclay breached bail conditions set on August 8 by buying and drinking alcohol.

That day she had gone to work, opened up the premises and then left without saying where she was going. She later turned up at the police station to admit she had consumed alcohol and was arrested.

Barclay’s solicitor Eddie Thornton said the 46-year-old had been of previous excellent character but had been struggling unsuccessfully with a serious alcohol problem and ‘things would be far worse if it had not been for the support of her husband and other family members’.

The reason she had been allowed back home after the domestic incident was that her husband made it clear he wanted her home.

But the evening before the bail breach, she had spent time with another family member who also has a drink issue.

Barclay had gone to work the next morning but realised she had reached ‘an all-time low,’ said Mr Thornton, who added: ‘She asked her husband to take her to the police station and that led to her spending the weekend in custody.’

Things had moved on since, he said. ‘Positive steps have been taken with help from her family and GP. She now regularly attends a group where her drinking will be addressed and she tells me since the breach of bail she has not drunk alcohol. These are small steps in a long journey,’ Mr Thornton added.

Sheriff Patrick Hughes deferred Barclay’s sentence for three months, requesting a good behaviour report and to hear from her GP and support service Addaction. Bail was continued.