Jilted lover spared jail over his JCB rampage in ex’s garden

A JILTED boyfriend who trashed his ex’s garden in a JCB rampage after being dumped has been spared jail.

Alisdair McKinnon, 33, swung the vehicle’s arm at a window of Diane McCune’s cottage but stopped short of damaging the building. Instead, he smashed large plant pots and kerb stones and dug up soil, moving it around the yard. He then fled.

The pair had been in an on-off relationship for four years and McKinnon was living with Miss McCune, 50, and her four children in Paisley, Renfrewshire.

But when she told him it was over on March 16, the enraged digger driver lashed out.

Miss McCune, who was at home with her 21-year-old son at the time, called police.

McKinnon pleaded guilty at Paisley Sheriff Court last month to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and wilfully or recklessly damaging Miss McCune’s property. Charges he repeatedly texted her against

‘Simply an over-reaction’

her will and attended her house uninvited were dropped.

Defence Solicitor Advocate Bob Mitchell asked for leniency for McKinnon, saying the couple wanted to get back together.

He said Miss McCune had written several letters in a bid to have a bail condition banning McKinnon from approaching or contacting her lifted.

Mr Mitchell added: ‘She had lost her job and he took on additional work. This placed a strain on the relationship. This was simply an over-reaction.’

Sheriff David Pender was told McKinnon had a previous conviction involving another former girlfriend.

He handed him an 18-month Community Payback Order and ordered counselling to ‘address domestic issues’. McKinnon was also given a year to carry out 200 hours’ unpaid community work.