Noisy couple in court after one argument too many

A COUPLE had one noisy argument too many and ended up in front of Oban Sheriff Court last week.

Andrew MacMillan, aged 35, of 33A Kerrerea Terrace, Oban, pleaded not guilty, while Danielle MacIntyre, aged 22, of 10c Alma Crescent, Oban, pleaded guilty to committing a breach of the peace at her home on September 10.

During MacMillan’s trial two neighbours in Alma Crescent gave evidence that there was lots of shouting, doors slamming and one particularly loud bang during the course of events.

During her evidence a female neighbour said she was ‘pretty scared’ at the sound of it.

‘I was nervous and did not know what was going to happen; if it was going to escalate into something more violent than it was,’ she said.

A male neighbour said that although he had heard arguments between the pair in the past, on this occasion he would have telephoned the police had his mobile phone been working. The man also said he had to move out of his bedroom into the living room on occasions because of the level of noise due to their arguments.

Sheriff Ruth Anderson was told that on this occasion a door had been slammed so heavily that a set of shelves had fallen to the floor.

MacMillan was not legally represented and conducted his own defence.

‘ It has all been blown out of all proportion,’ he said, adding that the female neighbour had a ‘ vendetta’ against his partner.

Sheriff Ruth Anderson QC found MacMillan guilty and fined him £ 500.

‘ I cannot think of anything more miserable than your own peace in your own home being disturbed by the bad behaviour of other people,’ she said.

Sheriff Anderson deferred sentence on MacIntyre for six months for her to be of good behaviour and to save towards paying a fine.