Camelon man threatened woman holding baby

Keiran Buchanan (23), of Roman Buildings, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at an address in Grangemouth on March 16, 2019 by entering the property uninvited and shouting and acting in an aggressive manner.

Falkirk Sheriff Court heard that the complainer had just returned from shopping with her two children, aged two years old and one month old, when Buchanan, who is the children’s father, entered the property univited.

Fiscal depute Jamie Roy said: “Initially he was calm and stated he wanted to see his children but started to beome more agitated and aggressive, shouting at the woman and frightening her. She was holding her one-month-old child at the time.

“She began retreating from the accused and he shouted at her and stated ‘If you were not holding the bairn I’d smack you.’ She was shaking with fear and started to stamp the floor in an attempt to alert the neighbours.

“He then picked up his daughter and attempted to leave with her.”

The woman then contacted police who arrived soon after.

Buchanan’s defence solicitor said the background to the incident was that the complainer had agreed he could see his two children but then changed her mind.

He added: “He nevertheless decided to go down there and they had an argument. He said he wanted to scare her but understands his behaviour was completely unacceptable.”

Sheriff Derek Livingston noted Buchanan had previous convictions for domestic matters and stated: “Any argument of this nature must not take place in front of children.”

As well as imposing a restriction of liberty order on Buchanan for 108 days requiring him to remain in his property between 7pm and 7am each day, Sheriff Livingston ordered him to carry out 108 hours within three months.