An Angus man has been jailed after a seventh domestic offense against former partners.
Christopher Watt from Arbroath threatened his former partner and a neighbour in Montrose after his dog “defecated on the floor” and an argument broke out about who would clean it up.
The 40-year-old later resisted arrest from four police officers outside an Arbroath club.
Forfar Sheriff Court heard previous attempts to stop domestic offending had failed three years earlier, and he “went back on the drink”.
Watt admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner to Linda Taylor and Keiron Whyte in Beacon Road on February 9 this year, shouting, swearing and uttering threats of violence and repeatedly banging a door there.
The court heard that, while on “thin ice” for this offence, he went on to resist arrest outside Devito’s in Arbroath, striking two officers.
Depute fiscal Jill Drummond said: “At 12.50am on April 9 the accused attempted to enter Devitos and was denied entry but remained in its doorway.
“Police officers were asked to speak to the accused to move him further away.”
Watt was unwilling to move and one constable was struck on the chest as he was manoeuvred into the back of the van.
When he reached the charge bar at Arbroath police station, another kick landed on a different officer.
Solicitor Billy Rennie said his client had not been to prison before and had not offended in three years.
“It seems that when he hits the drink, problems arise,” he said.
“After the incident with the police, which he doesn’t remember much of, he apologised to officers in the morning.
“Supervision would help with the drinking and the Fergus programme would help with any domestic issues that arose.
“He has also referred himself through his GP to the Tayside Council on Alcohol, and is prepared for some restriction of liberty.
Sheriff Gregor Murray jailed Watt, of Newbigging Drive, for eight months.
He told Watt: “If I were to propose a community-based order it would be identical to a programme that you were placed on in 2014. That didn’t work — you went back on the drink.
“This is your seventh domestic offence with different partners and I see no alternative to a custodial sentence.
“At the time of the police offence, you were very much on thin ice and you accepted that.”
