A military policeman who threatened his fiance’s father with a knife after a row over a remote control has had his original sentence quashed.
Darren Church, 34, of Brechin, had been sentenced to 160 days in prison after assaulting Kevin Elliott at a property in the town’s Middleton Park.
The accused had downed 24 bottles of beer and demanded his ring back from newly engaged partner Rebecca Elliott on January 1 after a row over which TV channel they were watching.
Church, an armed guard at RM Condor in Arbroath, was told to go home, but instead pinned his prospective father-in-law against a wall before picking up a knife and trying to goad him into a fight.
But at the Appeal Court in Edinburgh last Tuesday, Church had his prison sentence quashed and was instead given a 50-hour community payback order.
Keiran Watson, of the charity 18 Plus, which offers free and confidential support to men and women over 18 who have suffered abuse, blasted the decision.
He said: “I think this is wrong he should have been jailed.
“We have to think about what message is being sent out here by letting him escape prison. This is clearly a violent and dangerous individual who needs rehabilitation.
“Jail isn’t just about the punishment, but also rehabilitation and I just hope he is receiving some form of counselling at the very least.
“Victims of abusive behaviour might look at this and think: what’s the point in calling the police?”
At the original hearing in February, Sheriff Gregor Murray had claimed there was “no credible alternative” to a prison sentence.
He said: “You have been trained to behave in a certain way and you have fallen down seriously in those high standards expected of you.
“Domestic violence, alcohol and knives are a combustible mix.
“There’s no credible alternative to a custodial sentence.”
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