A groom spent his wedding night in custody after he was ditched by his new husband just hours after tying the knot.
David Halkett was left crushed when partner Rodrigo Caetano told him the marriage had been a sham all along.
Party guests called police after witnessing a drunken flare-up between the couple at the Green Hotel in Kinross.
When officers arrived, Halkett became abusive and told them: “I’m going to f***ing knock you out”.
The 46-year-old appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards officers in the early hours of February 6 last year.
He was originally charged with assaulting his new husband by throwing a bag at him and punching him on the head but prosecutors accepted not guilty pleas to the assault charge.
Arrested
Fiscal depute Andrew Harding said: “Police arrived at the hotel at about 3.10am, following reports of matters that are no longer before the court.
“They traced and arrested the accused.
“He became obstructive, claiming not to understand the arrest.
“The accused was clearly under the influence of alcohol and was argumentative.”
Mr Harding said: “He repeatedly stated ‘I’m going to f***ing knock you out’ and ‘you’re a real c***’ and similar phrases.
“He was thereafter placed in the rear of the police vehicle.”
A ‘significant downward turn’
Solicitor Linda Clark, defending, said: “Mr Halkett has had these matters hanging over him for some time.
“It was in fact his wedding day and the former complainer was his husband.
“The wedding had taken place and after the ceremony there was a party.
“Some way into the party, his husband indicated that he did not love Mr Halkett at all and had simply gone through the ceremony to secure status.”
Ms Clark said: “That had upset Mr Halkett, as you can imagine.
“What was meant to be the happiest day of his life took a significantly downward turn.
“There was an exchange between Mr Halkett and his husband, which led to other members of the party calling the police.”
She added: “He accepts he had taken alcohol, that he was extremely upset and that he was completely taken aback by events.
“It was not how he planned to start his married life.”
The court heard the couple had since kept apart.
“Mr Halkett is now looking at ways of formally ending the relationship,” said Ms Clark.
She said the day had significantly impacted her client’s mental health.
“He has given up his job and is currently unable to work,” she said.
Sheriff Alison McKay told Halkett: “Whatever the difficulties you were experiencing, the police were there to do their job.
“You behaved badly towards them and that is not something I can put to one side and brush under the carpet.”
Halkett, of Acremoar Drive, Kinross, was sentenced to 60 hours unpaid work.
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