Community payback order after verbal volley at sheriff

A man thrown into the cells for contempt of court after a verbal volley at a sheriff has been given a 12-month community payback order.

Darren Barr was put into custody to cool off after losing his temper when he appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court to be sentenced for an incident involving his former partner.

Barr, 34, formerly of Grange Path in Arbroath, had admitted assaulting his ex-partner and behaving in a threatening manner towards her on the town’s High Street earlier this year.

The accused and his new partner had entered a shop and had seen Barr’s former girlfriend.

Barr’s new partner tried to remove him but he was overheard saying that he wouldn’t think twice about assaulting her again.

Defence solicitor Billy Rennie said: “The complainer is no shrinking violet and he moved away from Arbroath to Montrose to make sure he has no further contact with her.”