Falkirk shift worker chucked partner's too loud phone out of window

Martin Thomson (38) was trying to sleep off a drinking session, but his partner apparently wanted the party to continue, playing loud dance music on her phone. He reached breaking point when she supposedly placed the phone right next to him as he lay in bed.

He then snatched it from her and through it out the window onto the street below.

Thomson appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having admitted behaving in a threatening manner at an address in Main Street, Bainsford on June 1.

Sean Maher, procurator fiscal depute, said: “In the early hours at around 5.15am the accused was at this his partner’s house. Both of them had been drinking since the mid afternoon the previous day.

“She had got up from bed and began to play music on her mobile phone. This angered the accused and he told her to turn the music off. An argument ensued and he grabbed her phone and threw it out the bedroom window to the street below.

“The argument continued and the matter was brought to the attention of police.”

Sheriff Derek Hamilton said he had never seen such arrogance contained within a criminal justice social work report and questioned whether Thomson was aware of the seriousness of what he had done.

It was stated Thomson had said the phone was only worth £100 or so, but that was just the cost of the insurance.

Defence solicitor Gordon Addison responded, saying Thomson and the social worker who had compiled the report had not exactly seen eye to eye and the interview process was strained.

Mr Addison added: “The person making the report referred to Mr Thomson as a domestic abuser and Mr Thomson felt he was trying to wind him up so there is another side to that.

“The music had been loud for hours and he asked her to stop. It was drum and bass dance music and he just couldn’t sleep. She then deliberately puts the phone right next to him and he has got a shift to go to.”

Mr Addison ended by saying the couple had now reconciled and father-of-six Thomson had now set up in business as a builder.

Sheriff Hamilton said the incident was at the lower end of the scale, but Thomson did “have quite a history for domestic violence” and this was classed as another domestic offence.

He added: “You have limited the sentencing options available to me your refusal to consider community based disposals. You have a number of assault convictions and you have breached court orders.

“It may well be that a short custodial sentence is appropriate for you. However, you seem to have got yourself some steady work. Although don’t think this is an offence you can simply buy your way out of."

Thomson, 58 Stewart Road, Falkirk, was ordered to pay a £500 fine within 30 days.