A Perth man throttled his mum and bit her on the head, before battering her boyfriend with a metal pole and smashing up his car with a hedgehog ornament.
Drunken Kaine Baxter erupted when he was refused a lift home after his grandfather’s funeral.
The 25-year-old appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted assaulting mum Tammie Thomson at her home in St Ninian’s Terrace, Alyth.
He also pled guilty to attacking her partner John McGuire and smashing the windscreen of his Volkswagen Golf with a garden ornament.
Baxter was ordered to carry out 180 hours unpaid work and must pay his mum’s now-ex-partner £120 compensation.
Baxter, of Springbank, Alyth, was placed on curfew as part of a three-month restriction of liberty order.
Ill feelings
Fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson said Baxter attended the funeral of his grandfather, with his mother on July 21 last year.
“About 9.20pm that day, Mr McGuire went to the home of Ms Thomson,” she told the court.
“He had not attended at the funeral, due to ill-feeling between him and the accused.”
Ms Hodgson said: “Just after midnight, the accused arrived at the front door.
“Ms Thomson spoke to the accused while Mr McGuire remained in the living room.
“It appeared that the accused was heavily under the influence of alcohol.
“He asked for a lift home to Blairgowrie.”
The fiscal depute said: “This was refused and the accused became irate.
“He grabbed Ms Thomson by the throat.
“She felt the accused apply pressure to her windpipe.
“The accused shouted and proceeded to bite the top of Ms Thomson’s head.”
Ornamental hedgehog
Ms Hodgson said: “Upon hearing the commotion, Mr McGuire came to Ms Thomson’s aid.”
Baxter dropped his mum and shouted to Mr McGuire: “I’m going to f***ing kill you.”
“The accused punched Mr McGuire once to the side of the head, knocking him over.
“He then picked up a metal pole and repeatedly struck him with it.”
Baxter’s mum shouted at her son to stop, Ms Hodgson said.
Mr McGuire managed to wrestle the pole from Baxter.
He got back to his feet and left the property.
Later, Baxter walked out of the house and picked up an ornamental garden hedgehog.
“He took it to Mr McGuire’s car and used it to smash the windscreen.”
Baxter’s mother contacted police.
When officers told Baxter he was being charged with assaulting his mother’s partner, he replied: “No s***.”
History of violence
Solicitor Billy Somerville, defending, said: “He accepts that he was extremely intoxicated that night.
“He certainly has no love for Mr McGuire but he acknowledges that this was no way to deal with things.”
Mr Somerville said: “There does seem to be an alternative to custody and I would ask the court to consider this.”
Sheriff William Wood told Baxter: “Your record shows that you are someone who is not afraid to turn to violence, but violence is never the answer.
“You’re not a wee boy anymore and this was not an appropriate response to anything.”
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