Grangemouth offender pelted neighbours with dog food

Janet McGuire (51) appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having pleaded guilty to two charges of assault and behaving in a threatening manner at an address in Jackson Avenue, Grangemouth on July 31 last year.

Danielle McDonald, procurator fiscal depute, said: “It was 10pm and the witnesses were within their home. They went outside and saw the accused within the communal garden with her large bullmastiff dog called Simba.

"The witness asked the accused if she was okay and the accused began swearing at her. The accused then entered her property and returned with a can of dog food and threw the contents at the witnesses, who went back inside.

"The accused continued throwing dog food at the door. Police attended and saw the dog food covering the front door of the property. They went to the accused's front door and she didn’t let them in.

"She was acting in a bizarre manner, so, out of concern for her, entry was forced by police. The accused then kicked a police officer on the thigh.”

Defence solicitor Murray Aitken said: “She is a 51-year-old first offender who moved to this address in October 2020. She has reported a number of difficulties with her neighbours to the authorities.

"She is small in stature and she feels she is regularly subjected to bullying and intimidation by her neighbours and has reached the view she no longer wishes to reside there, intending to move down south.

"She had been out shopping and had come back to let her dog out into the garden. She had this can of dog food for her dog in her hand. She said the whole incident left her scared and a bit vulnerable.

"She had gone to her house and then locked the door, turning the lights off. She recalls there were six large police officers outside and she didn’t know what was going on.”

Sheriff Craig Harris placed McGuire, Jackson Avenue, Grangemouth, on a supervised community payback order for six months with the condition he complete 70 hours unpaid work within 12 months.