Man threw used toilet roll and urine out of his flat window

Blocked toilet sparked action

A Perth man repeatedly threw used loo roll out of the window of his fourth -floor city centre attic flat – and bottles of urine – because his toilet was blocked.

Perth Sheriff Court was told that 45-year-old John Cameron was due to be evicted from his housing association property in Market Street earlier this week.

One of the disgusting offences took place the same day he had been freed on bail for similar repeat incidents.

The accused, who had been remanded in custody since September 28, had a Community Payback Order imposed when he appeared for sentence on Wednesday.

He will be supervised by a social worker for 12 months after he admitted throwing quantities of tissue paper containing human faeces, as well as bottles of urine, along with plastic refuse, from his window on a number of occasions between September 7 and 22, 2020.

Depute fiscal Michael Sweeney detailed five occasions between these dates – on September 7, 11, 20, 21 and 22 – when he was seen by different people throwing toilet rolls, covered in excrement, from his window.

Photographs were taken of items which landed on the roof.

One local resident was on the balcony at the time while a tradesman, working on a building site directly below the accused, witnessed his actions.

Solicitor Pauline Cullerton said a psychiatric report had been prepared on Cameron but he wasn’t suffering from “any mental disorder.”

She added: “He advised his toilet was blocked and this has been an ongoing problem.”

He took responsibility for his actions although he had “minimised the seriousness of his behaviour.”

She added: “He now realises if there had been a pedestrian walking on the street it would have been particularly unpleasant if it landed on them.”

He has now lost his accommodation - eviction was due to take place on Tuesday - and he intended to declare himself homeless if liberated by the court.

Cameron had considered moving to Glasgow to stay with his mother or he also had a friend in Edinburgh and might live there.

Sentence on two other similar charges was deferred until June 16.

Sheriff Gillian Wade told him: “If you stay out of any further trouble, I will deal with these matters leniently.”

Further incidents, also admitted, took place between September 23 and 25 this year after he had been granted bail from Dundee Sheriff Court on September 23.

He was convicted on a third charge, which took place last year, after trial before Sheriff Keith O’Mahoney.

That involved him again committing a breach of the peace by repeatedly throwing soiled toilet paper out of the window of his flat onto the street below on November 14, 2019.