A soldier who got engaged on Christmas Eve assaulted his fiancee and brandished a knife at her father after a 24-beer binge.
Forfar Sheriff Court heard how Brechin man Darren Church downed two dozen bottles on New Year’s Day. He then got into a furious row over a TV remove control.
Church admitted picking up a knife and challenging Kevin Elliot when he appeared from custody on Saturday.
The 34-year-old also admitted assaulting Mr Elliot by pushing him, seizing him by the throat and pinning him against a wall.
Church, of Montrose Street, also admitted shouting and swearing at his fiancee Rebecca Elliot and her father’s partner, Dawn Swankie, and repeatedly returning to the home after being asked to leave. He also assaulted Miss Elliot by repeatedly seizing her by the arms, pushing her on the body and throwing a ring at her to her injury.
The offences all took place at an address at Middleton Park in Brechin on January 1 and 2.
Fiscal depute Isma Mukhtar told the court: “At around 9pm the accused stopped speaking following a dispute over the television remote control. He then left the house and slammed the door.
“He returned 30 minutes later at the living room window. He was told to go home because he’d had too much to drink and was told to go to his mother’s house to sleep it off.”
Church then tried to gain entry by the rear door and started shouting abuse at Ms Swankie, who came out to the garden to confront him.
“She tried to kick the accused’s leg, but he pushed his way into the house,” the fiscal depute said.
“The accused was again asked to leave. At this point Kevin Elliot intervened and Church pinned him to the wall with his hand around his throat before releasing him. Matters then escalated and there appears to have been a stramash in the hallway. Rebecca Elliot attempted to keep the accused away from her father and stepmother and tried to lead him away.
“The accused grabbed Rebecca Elliot by the upper right arm and demanded that she return a ring he had given her. She removed this and gave it to him. He then threw it at her, narrowly missing her face. The accused continued to argue and again grabbed her by the arm.
“Kevin Elliot told him to let go or he would kill him.
“Church picked up a small knife from the kitchen and told him ‘go on, you know you want to’ and then continued to goad the man into fighting him. The accused then left the address of his own volition.”
Police were contacted and attended at the property in the early hours of January 2. They also returned later that morning after Church returned to the house.
“He returned to the address and there was a physical fight between him and Kevin Elliot,” Ms Mukhtar said.
Sheriff Pino Di Emidio deferred sentence until February 5 for a social work report.