Laurieston neighbour from hell makes threats to kill the man upstairs
An alcoholic offender fell off the wagon and began taking his drunker rage out on his upstairs neighbour making multiple threats to kill him.
Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, Mark Cowan, 54, had pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour at an address in Munro Gardens, Laurieston between May 10 and June 14 and April 10 and April 11.
He also admitted breaching his bail conditions by having contact with his upstairs neighbours when he was ordered not to.
The procurator fiscal depute said: “The complainers are a couple who lived upstairs from the accused. He stayed in the flat below and they heard shouting up towards them, ‘if I want to have a drink I’ll have a f***ing drink’ – that bomb scare up there will get done in the now’."
Over the proceeding days and weeks Cowan’s drunken threats and behaviour escalated.
On various occasions he stated “I’ll just go and punch him clean oot – I don’t give a ****, I’m 100 kilograms”.
On one occasion the neighbour felt so threatened he went to a friend’s house to stay for the night.
The upstairs neighbours heard Cowan state “I’ll do him in upstairs”
The couple began to make recordings of these threats and rants and informed police of Cowan’s behaviour.
However, this seemed to make things worse instead of better, with Cowan telling police “It’s unbelievable – he just wants to be lifted that boy upstairs. I’m telling you that’s not true”.
Once again, when police had left, he shouted up “I’m just going to come up and do you in”.
Things took a darker turn when Cowan told his neighbour he was going to rip his head off and “put him in a bin”, adding “bring them all down and I’ll kill them all”.
When police again attended, Cowan said he “never said a word”.
Then he began to make life even worse for this upstairs neighbours, stating “If I see him in the close I’m going to kill him – I’m going to come up to your door, just wait until after this court date’s out of the way” and “I’ll kill him – I’ve got the blade”.
He added “I’ll just go up to his door just now I will take this knife”.
Defence solicitor Mark Fallon said there had been a seven year gap in Cowans offending, which coincided with his abstaining from alcohol over that period.
"He had stayed at that address for nine years without incident,” said Mr Fallon. “However, he fell of the wagon. He has never got on with his neighbour, even ehen he was sober.
"He is now staying at his mother’s address. She’s 86 and has a lot of health difficulties. He now goes to the gym and leads a peaceful life.”
Sheriff Craig Harris said Cowan had “terrorised” his upstairs neighbours.
He added: “A prison sentence is very much at the forefront of the court’s mind, but takes into account your lack of offending between 2012 and 2025 and the fact you now appear to be alcohol free and engaging with addiction recovery services.”
He placed Cowan, who now lives in the Grangemouth area, on a restriction of liberty order, meaning he must remain in his home from 7pm to 7am for the next 324 days.