A Fife woman turned up at a man’s door with a knife after suffering harassment from him and being assaulted by his friend, a court has heard.
At Dunfermline Sheriff Court, Patricia Edwards, 55, admitted having the blade without reasonable excuse at Winding Wheel Way, Bowhill, Cardenden.
However, the court heard she had been tormented in the lead-up to the offence, including being assaulted in a shop and having her CCTV tampered with.
Knife visit
Prosecutor Brogan Moffat told the court the man was in his home while children were playing on the street at around 10.45am on May 11 this year.
“At that time he heard a neighbour shout something similar to ‘she is at your door with a knife’.
“Due to concerns for children in the street (the man) has contacted police.”
When he went to his front door, Edwards was there, holding a blade in her hand, by her hip.
The fiscal depute continued: “The witness saw the blade to be similar to a small potato-style knife.
“The accused thereafter returned to her home address.”
Police went to her home and she admitted what she had done, stating after being charged: “I did not mean to do it”.
Harassment
Defence lawyer David McLaughlin said first offender Edwards has lived in her home on the street for about a year and has been “having trouble” with the complainer.
The solicitor said: “She has secured points from the local authority to secure a move away from the local area and points are given because harassment has been established against her from the gentleman.
“It essentially stemmed from noise complaints.”
Mr McLaughlin added: “The day prior to the incident she tells me she was assaulted in a shop by a friend of the gentleman referred to.
“The gentleman tried to damage CCTV she felt necessary to install in the property.
“She had taken drink earlier in the night and (was) seemingly still under the influence when she took it upon herself to go to the door while carrying this implement.”
He continued: “She knows she should not have reacted.
“She is looking for a move outwith the area”.
Sheriff Wyllie Robertson said he would need background reports “having regard to the gravity of the charge” and deferred sentencing to June 19.
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