A Fife house invader appeared in a man’s bedroom uninvited and punched his head repeatedly in front of his teenage son during a “terrifying” attack.
Gregor Stenhouse, 49, left his victim with a bleeding nose and later struggled with two police officers who found him crouching in the corner of a garden with a gramme of cocaine.
Stenhouse appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing after earlier pleading guilty to assault to injury, behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, resisting and obstructing police and possession of the class A drug.
The court heard the incident took place at an address in Kincardine on January 6 this year.
Terrifying house invasion
Prosecutor Brogan Moffat said the man was woken at around 2.30am to find Stenhouse – a stranger – in his bedroom.
The man got out of bed and went downstairs, asking the following Stenhouse what he was doing and repeatedly telling him to leave.
The fiscal depute said the man’s 13-year-old son came downstairs due to the noise.
Stenhouse began punching the man’s head.
Despite the youngster stepping between them, Stenhouse continued punching the man’s face, bursting his nose.
Ms Moffat said the father’s mobile phone fell from his pocket and his son picked it up and called police.
Both then retreated to a bedroom until officers arrived.
The fiscal added: “The accused was traced, crouching in the corner of the garden when police arrived”.
The court heard Stenhouse resisted arrest by tensing his arms and refusing to put them behind his back.
A subsequent search revealed the bag of cocaine.
No explanation
Stenhouse’s defence solicitor claimed his client and the victim do know each other, having met on a number of occasions when dog-walking.
The solicitor said prior to the incident, former IT consultant Stenhouse, a recovering alcoholic, had a relationship break-up, was made redundant and reverted back to drink.
The lawyer said: “He cannot really explain how he came to this man’s bedroom.
“He thinks he has gone there to have a drink with him and what’s happened has happened.
“He is remorseful and shocked at his behaviour”.
He added: “This is a really distressing incident for Mr Stenhouse and he apologises profusely for this.
“The experience of this is causing him issues for his own health”.
Sheriff Susan Duff told Stenhouse, of Toll Road, Kincardine: “I have no doubt this was a terrifying incident for that man and his 13-year-old son but I can see from the report you are remorseful and have taken steps to try and ensure it won’t happen again”.
The sheriff sentenced him to 182 hours of unpaid work as part of a community payback order.
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