Booze ban man too drunk for court date

Sheriff says prison will give bail flouter ‘time to reflect’

dragged her by the hair from the living room into the hallway in an alcohol-fuelled frenzy.

She managed to break free and fled to her bedroom but he again got hold of her by the hair and tried to stop her contacting the police.

Sheriff Foulis told him on Wednesday: “I will review your progress on that order in four months’ time to see what effect this custodial sentence has had on you.

“I would strongly advise you that you think very seriously as to where your behaviour has got you - because, as far as I am concerned, that is simply a taster of what will happen if you don’t comply.”

Sheriff Foulis added: “It’s absolutely crystal clear that if you return to drinking to excess the risk of you offending further increases significantly.

“What I am far more concerned about, however, isn’t simply your offending. It’s the knock-on effect this will have on your wife.

“She is my concern - not you. So I am going to make it patently clear to you what the consequences are of failing to comply with bail conditions.”

The sheriff said the four months in custody would give Clark “time to reflect”.

He admitted flouting a February 18, 2020, bail order banning him from consuming alcohol by drinking at his home on May 5, 2021.

Solicitor Pauline Cullerton explained: “He wasn’t able to come to court that day because of alcohol.”

Depute fiscal Andrew Harding said: “Intelligence suggested he had been abusing alcohol.

“Witnesses attended at his home address at 1.50pm and he was arrested.

“He was cautioned and charged and said he understood the charge. He made no reply.”

A bail order of November 11, 2019, also banned him from approaching or contacting his wife, Hazel, in any way - or entering West George Street, Blairgowrie, where she stayed.

But he went there on January 17, 2020, the court heard.

Mrs Cullerton said her client had been “doing particularly well” on the community payback order which also involved him taking part in the two-year Caledonian Men’s Programme, which supports those involved in domestic abuse.

He also had to undertake alcohol treatment as part of a 24-month supervision period, imposed in January 2020.

He was now 16 months into the order and the lawyer described his recent drinking as “a blip”.

But Sheriff Foulis noted from a social work report that the accused felt he had “control” over his alcohol intake and was “practising controlled drinking”.

The bail order, however, meant he should not drink at all - not even in a controlled way.

Clark will return to court in four months’ time - on September 8 - when his progress will be assessed.

The order was imposed for a prolonged assault on his wife at Lynwood, West George Street, Blairgowrie, on November 10, 2019, and also for shouting and swearing and behaving aggressively towards her and a neighbour.