A man smashed up a rival’s car with a baseball bat while feuding with his mother, a court has heard.
Ranting Mark MacRae gatecrashed a family gathering and carried out an assault, before causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to a Peugeot 208 sitting outside.
The 46-year-old appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted attacking the car outside a house in the city’s Glendevon road.
He pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, likely to cause fear or alarm, and assaulting a man while he sat next to a months-old baby girl.
MacRae will be electronically tagged but was warned if he failed to comply he could be jailed.
Middle finger
Fiscal depute Andrew Harding said MacRae’s mother and some friends gathered in the living room of the house at about 9pm, before the accused arrived and began shouting at witnesses, including a Steven Jones.
The prosecutor said MacRae went back outside but returned moments later.
“Without warning, he jumped on Mr Jones who was sitting on the sofa next to a baby.
“Mr MacRae grabbed Mr Jones by the throat and pinned him to the couch.
“Mr Jones managed to push him away.”
MacRae then left the property for a second time.
“He was seen from the living room window going into the passenger side of a waiting Mercedes, before exiting the vehicle with a baseball bat,” Mr Harding said.
“He proceeded to smash the windows of a vehicle (belonging to a family member) which was parked in the street.
“The accused then looked in the living room window and gave the middle finger, before getting into the Mercedes, which then drove away.”
The court heard the attack caused around £3,000 of damage.
Alcohol was consumed
Solicitor Linda Clark, defending, said: “There has been ongoing family difficulties for some time and he is estranged from his mother.
“He does not have any contact with her.”
She said: “On this occasion, Mr MacRae had been out and alcohol was consumed.
“He was given a lift in the Mercedes, which stopped at the address.
“Mr MacRae noticed that his mother was present and stupidly decided to enter the property.
“He voiced his opinions and things escalated from there.”
Ms Clark said that the baseball bat was in the car.
Sheriff Gillian Wade: “I presumed that was the case, I didn’t think he was there to play baseball.”
Laughing in court
The sheriff raised concerns about a report prepared by social workers which suggested MacRae had “failed to see the issue with his actions” and had shown no remorse.
“I am in no doubt that this meets the requirement of a custodial sentence,” she said.
The sheriff told MacRae: “Your attitude is appalling.
“You cannot simply take a baseball bat and smash up someone’s vehicle – that is not how you deal with things.”
After ejecting a member of the public for laughing, the sheriff said: “I don’t think your supporters in the court are doing you any favours.”
MacRae, of Catmoor Avenue, Scone, was placed on a Restriction of Liberty curfew for six months, meaning he must stay home between 7pm and 7am.
He was placed on supervision for nine months, with a progress review scheduled for April 12.
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