A jilted man who had been drinking heavily took out a hatchet when his ex-partner tried to collect her things from his house in Pitlochry.
Alexander Cullens took the break-up badly so he hit the booze then barricaded himself in his house before taking hold of the hatchet when the woman came to get her belongings.
The 31-year-old was out drinking with the woman at the Coach House bar and grill in the town’s Atholl Road when she told him she no longer wanted to be in a relationship with him.
Fiscal depute Bill Kermode told Perth Sheriff Court the trouble started shortly after some friends joined the erstwhile couple for drinks later that evening.
“The accused was extremely intoxicated,” he said. “At around 10pm he was ejected from the pub due to his level of intoxication.”
Mr Kermode said Cullens’ ex-partner and a male friend went to his address later the same evening so she could collect her things but she was unable to enter the house as he had barricaded the door.
“The door was barricaded from the inside with household items,” he said.
“She knocked and the accused opened the door. He was in possession of a hatchet which he had in his left hand.
“His behaviour caused the complainer alarm and she was fearful.”
Mr Kermode said Cullens then dropped the hatchet on the ground and let the woman in to the house to get her belongings but her male companion did not go in as he did not feel safe.
“The accused then became angry while speaking to the complainer and picked up the same hatchet,” Mr Kermode went on.
He said Cullens shouted at the woman and her friend for a while then they left the house and police arrived a short time later to check on him.
“Police then arrived and traced the accused,” Mr Kermode continued. “He was not in possession of the hatchet.
“The hatchet was found in a box in the living room. The accused was arrested, cautioned and charged and made no reply.”
Cullens, of Higher Oakfield, Pitlochry, pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on September 2, 2021 by presenting a hatchet to two people and thereby placing them in a state of fear and alarm.
Sheriff Morag Fraser sentenced Cullens to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work to be completed over the next 14 months.
