A man has been accused of using a sledgehammer and an axe to smash up his estranged wife’s home.
Brian Skinner, 58, of Woodlands Terrace, allegedly went to Alison Skinner’s home with the implements and used them to cause extensive damage, exposing electrical wires and water pipes in the kitchen area.
Prosecutors allege that Skinner’s actions endangered the occupants, compromised the safety of the house and in particular the safety of their neighbours on St Albans Terrace.
Skinner denies that on April 23, at an address on St Albans Terrace, he maliciously attended at the home of Ms Skinner, his estranged wife, while in possession of a sledgehammer and an axe and used them to cause extensive damage to the conservatory, interior doors, kitchen and electrical wiring and water utilities in the house.
He also denies an alternative to that charge, where pro–secutors say that on the same date and at the same place, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear or alarm, attended at the house with the items and caused extensive damage to various parts of the property, electrical wiring and water utilities.
Skinner further denies culpably or recklessly, and with utter disregard for the consequences, using an axe and a sledgehammer to cause extensive damage to the interior and the exterior of the property and in doing so, exposed power cables and water utilities, and caused extensive structural damage, compromising the safety of the property, to the danger of the occupants and, in particular, to the safety of the occupants of neighbouring properties.
The case was continued to a further hearing on August 16 for legal teams to make additional investigations.
Skinner’s bail order was continued by Sheriff John Rafferty.
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