Armed with knives
A woman confronted a group of men in the street while armed with four knives, Perth Sheriff Court was told recently.
And just weeks later, 32-year-old Aubrey Hurley, said to have alcohol and drug issues, repeatedly plunged an eight-inch-long blade into ex-partner Christopher Neil’s sofa.
The incidents led to her being jailed for a total of 10-and-a-half months on Wednesday last week.
The accused, of Coach Road, Coupar Angus, also flouted a bail order by turning up at her former boyfriend’s flat and she was then caught with heroin at her own home on Tuesday last week – the night before she was due in court on the knife charges.
Passing sentence, Sheriff Neil Bowie told her:“The possession of knives in a public place is extremely serious.
“The only appropriate sentence is a custodial one.”
Hurley also had a four-year Non-Harassment Order imposed, banning her from contacting or approaching Mr Neil in any way.
She was caught with the four knives in Glenshee Drive, Rattray, on April 1, 2021, and also admitted damaging the couch – and a table – at Mr Neil’s house in Rattray’s Glenalmond Road on May 19, 2021.
She further pled guilty to putting Mr Neil in a state of fear and alarm at his home the same day.
Depute fiscal Andrew Harding said that Hurley had approached the four men and began“talking incoherently.”
He added:“They felt she was under the influence. They couldn’t make sense of her.”
She was later seen crossing a car park and as the men walked towards her, they saw she was holding four knives –“two in each hand,” explained the fiscal.
The men“backed away”and when police arrived on the scene they also saw her with the blades.
The damage to Mr Neil’s sofa took place when she went to collect her possessions after their relationship ended a fortnight earlier.
Hurley further admitted flouting a May 27 bail order by going to Mr Neil’s flat on June 1, 2021, and being in possession of heroin at her home later the same day.
The court heard that police seized a bag of brown power, which later tested positive for the Class A drug.
It weighed two grammes and was valued at £70.
Solicitor Lucy Boylen said the incident with the four knives took place after she had been threatened with a crowbar.
“She is a vulnerable young woman and clearly has mental health difficulties which might have been brought on by alcohol and drug misuse.”
Hurley had gone to Mr Neil’s home by taxi on Tuesday after injuring her ankle and he had contacted an ambulance for her.
The relationship was described as “abusive”on both sides but it was now over and there was no objection to the Non-Harassment Order.
Sheriff Bowie also ordered the knives to be forfeited.