A Fife vandal danced with an umbrella as he caused more than £1,700 of damage to a court’s back entrance.
John Maxwell had no memory of the offence but believed he may have been injected with an unknown substance beforehand, while fixing an oven at a nearby property.
Maxwell, who only had one shoe, was heard chatting to himself during the bizarre incident outside Dunfermline Sheriff Court on May 6.
He appeared to think he was in Hawick or Jedburgh.
The 54-year-old appeared at the same court for sentencing this week – albeit this time in the dock – having pled guilty to the vandalism charge at an earlier hearing.
The court heard that he had caused £1,734.73 worth of damage.
Spiking claim
Court staff had seen Maxwell pulling items from a skip at around 5.15pm before he left and returned a short time later.
Procurator fiscal depute Mat Piskorz said previously Maxwell went through the unlocked exterior door at the back entrance to the court building and started pulling and shaking the inner double doors.
Maxwell, of Dunfermline’s Inglis Lane, then swung one of the doors and caused its glass panel to smash.
He remained in the vestibule and ripped part of the door keypad entry from the wall, causing electric cabling to come out.
Police were contacted and Maxwell was arrested and charged.
He responded: “It wasnae me.”
‘Spiking’ claim
Defence lawyer Stephen Morrison said Maxwell was a recovering alcoholic but there was nothing to suggest he was under the influence of drink at the time.
The solicitor said: “It seems bizarre behaviour.
“Mr Maxwell himself has no recollection of this at all but does remember going to a flat nearby to fit an oven.
“There were three individuals in the property who were all misusing drugs and causing a bit of chaos in the property, to such an extent he had to go and get a couple of spare parts that had gone missing.
“He remembers going into B&Q and going out of B&Q and remembers nothing else.
“He cannot prove it but believes he may have been spiked.
“He says there was injecting going on at the time.”
Umbrella dance
Mr Morrison said at one point during the incident at the court building, his client “took an umbrella and was dancing around with it.”
It is understood the umbrella had been in the vestibule.
The solicitor continued: “When police arrived he was described as appearing to be under the influence of an unknown substance and appeared to be talking to himself.
“They noted a lack of footwear and a small cut to his left foot and that he appeared extremely disorientated and kept making references to being in Hawick and Jedburgh and the names of several different people he believed were present with him and was having a conversation, talking to himself.
“His next memory is waking up in the police station with one shoe on.”
Sheriff Susan Duff told Maxwell the cost of damage had to be paid from the public purse.
The sheriff sentenced him to a restriction of liberty order, during which he must stay at home between 8pm and 8am daily for six months and 15 days.
