Bonnybridge thug taken down to cells after angry stand off with sheriff

Scott Allen, 21, made a couple of gestures that just did not sit right with Sheriff Craig Harris and the offender, who was about to be let out of the dock at the conclusion of the court’s business with him, was instead escorted to the cells downstairs.

Allen appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having admitted assaulting a man – repeatedly punching him on the head to his injury – at an address in Burnside Drive, Denny between August 13 and August 14, 2022.

Proceedings had to be halted and carried over into the afternoon court due to Allen’s behaviour, which Sheriff Harris believed showed a certain lack of respect towards the court..

The trouble started when Allen gave the “thumbs up” and a “wink” after being told his disposal.

An angry Sheriff Harris told Allen, who was about to depart, to remain in the dock, saying: “You’ve been ding appallingly bad on your structured deferred sentence and now you are challenging the court’s authority.”

Given one chance to toe the line and “stay quiet and don’t wink”, Allen then made another gesture which led to his incarceration.

“You’re done Mr Allen, remanded in custody,” said Sheriff Harris and the court officers started to lead Allen down to the cells as his highly emotional friend in the public benches started to repeat “he’s deaf” over and over again, saying Allen was not being rude or funny, he was in fact hard of hearing.

Sheriff Harris then gave Allen’s pal a chance to walk out of the court, but he mouthed off just before leaving and he was brought back in.

Faced with being held in contempt of court and joining Allen downstairs, the man quickly apologised.

Allen, 20 Barleyhill, Bonnybridge, then appeared from custody later in the day and was made subject to a restriction of liberty order, meaning he must remain in his home from 8pm to 6am each day for the next five months.