Deaf offender chucked Irn Bru can at car during Langlees unpleasantness

Connor Smith, 30, was said to have difficulties in social situations due to his hearing impairment, but he had no trouble getting his point across to the man involved in an argument with his friend.

Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, Smith had pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour – uttering threats to injure while in possession of a hammer and throwing a can of juice at a car – outside an address in David’s Loan, Langlees on August 13, 2022.

Procurator fiscal depute Sean Iles said: “It was 10.20am and the witness was outside his property carrying out repairs to his vehicle. He then had an argument with a neighbour in relation to another matter.

"The accused then stopped on the path and said ‘Are you starting on my pal?’ – he said it three times then stepped towards him and threatened to slash him. The accused then left the location, but was later seen at the window of a flat, continuing to threaten the witness.

"He threw an Irn Bru can from the window, which struck the front of the witness’s vehicle, causing minor scuff marks. The accused then came out of the property and stood near the witness.

"He picked up a hammer – one of the witness’s tools – and threatened to hit him with it. Police attended and the accused was traced at this home address.”

Simon Hutchison, defence solicitor, said: “He is significantly hard of hearing and is quite deaf – that gives him difficulty in social situations when there are problems. This whole thing started because he got involved in an argument between two other people.

"He actually took the hammer away from the witness.”

The court heard Smith, 51 Seabegs Road, Langlees, had stayed out of trouble until his late 20s.

Sheriff Alison Michie placed him on a structured deferred sentence for six months for him to be of good behaviour in that time and called for a review order in three months.