A drunken Angus man told neighbours he would unleash his pet snake on them in an argument over a lost dog.
‘Jekyll and Hyde’ character Peter Slack was sentenced to unpaid work after ranting incoherently in a row with his wife when she came home to discover the family’s husky was missing.
The incident escalated to include the reptile-related warning to neighbours and a threat to kill police who came to arrest him. The 44-year-old then headbutted one officer.
Slack has a previous conviction for throwing down his seven-foot boa constrictor in front of workmen he claimed were disturbing the pet.
Slack, of Traill Terrace, Montrose appeared for sentence before Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown at Forfar having admitted behaving in a threatening manner at his home on July 10 and assaulting a police officer.
Depute fiscal Jill Drummond said Slack’s wife had returned home to find the accused heavily intoxicated and their large husky dog missing.
“The accused just shouted incoherently,” added the fiscal.
His wife and a friend left the house to look for the missing dog which had been handed in at Montrose police office. Shortly before midnight police received a call reporting Slack was causing a disturbance.
The court heard he had told neighbours he would get his snake and when police arrived he was abusive, challenging them to fight.
Slack was arrested at 12.15am and in the back of the police vehicle, lunged without warning at one officer, headbutting him and causing a small forehead cut.
On the journey to Dundee police headquarters, Slack repeatedly struck the inside of the van with his head and told officers: “I will kill you all. Drop me off here, you muppets”.
Defence solicitor Billy Rennie said: “There is a Jekyll and Hyde aspect to him.
“I don’t think G4 or any other parties have any difficulty with him in court, but he is different when drink is involved.”
Sheriff Martin-Brown told Slack: “The report makes clear you have had support in the past and it seems to have worked relatively well.”
Slack was ordered to carry out 160 hours unpaid work within six months as an alternative to custody.
He said the industrial noise was disturbing the pet and told the men: “I’ve got this big snake for you and you’re not getting past it”.
