A "man of unblemished character" who strode into a village pub with an axe and jammed it into a table before terrified drinkers has been spared jail.
Christopher Tysall, 61, who believed his wife Shona to have been insulted, flew to defend her honour "like a man in a Hollywood movie", a court was told.
It was Christmas Eve and the inn, the Tavern 1851, in Buchlyvie, Stirlingshire was crowded and live music was in full swing.
The court heard that customers had been required to move to accommodate the music, and Mrs Tysall, who had arrived earlier with her husband for a meal, tried to sit in a booth where a group of people were already ensconced.
One of the group, Thomas Irvine, objected to her presence, referring to Covid guidelines then in force. After an argument Mrs Tysall left the pub, woke up her husband who had gone home earlier, and told him about the row.
Tysall, who trained youngsters in carpentry before working as a chef, grabbed the axe normally kept for chopping kindling, and returned to the inn.
Prosecutor Douglas Thomson said he approached Mr Irvine, 43, with the axe in his hand and "immediately began to shout and swear about the way he had spoken to his wife".
Tysall told a "shaken" Mr Irvine: "I'm going to chop." Mr Thomson, the depute fiscal, said: "He then struck the table top with the axe whilst the witness Irvine was sat at the table and stated, 'next time that will be you'."
He added: "A number of patrons were aware of the incident, and other patrons removed Mr Tysall from the pub. Police were called to the scene, and Tysall was later arrested.
Tysall, of Montgomery Place, Buchlyvie, who appeared for sentence at Falkirk Sheriff Court, pleaded guilty to statutory breach of the peace, and having the axe as an offensive weapon in the pub on December 24th 2021.
Solicitor Gordon Addison, defending, said Tysall had only one previous conviction -- almost 30 years ago, for speeding. He said: "He's a hard worker, who has lived in this village for some time, not a big drinker.
"He'd led, until this, on Christmas Eve in the local pub, a straightforward and conventional life. He'd had that night three or four pints, thought that was enough, and had gone home, leaving his wife with friends and neighbours."
Mr Addison said one witness had described her as "being rebuffed by Mr Irvine, in a manner that was insulting and provocative".
Mr Addison said: "As a result she went home in tears. Mr Tysall lost control when she told him, which is way out of character for him.
"He picked up this axe which they used to split sticks at the back door, went down to the pub, jammed it into the table, and had words with this man.
"If this was a Hollywood movie, of course, that would be an act of great worth and respect for his wife and a matter of honour, but of course it isn't, and Mr Tysall has to face the music."
Producing a series of character references, Mr Addison said Tysall was "a worthwhile member of society, well thought of in his community". Sheriff Craig Harris said Tysall had caused fear to Mr Irvine "and all of those in the bar".
He said: "You took a weapon into a public place, your judgement was already impaired by the consumption of alcohol, and nobody knew what was going to happen. No-one there knew you did not intend to use it.
"Events could easily have escalated." Sparing Tysall jail, he sentenced him to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work as a direct alternative. He said: "Other than this you're of unblemished character, a hard-working, pro-social individual.
"With your training and skills in joinery and the like you'll be able to offer a lot to the community via unpaid work."
Leaving court, Tysall ignored a reporter's request for a comment.
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