House party ends with boy (13) in washing basket

Barry Cassidy (49) turned violent when he returned home from the pub with his partner to find a party going on in their Avon Drive, Laurieston home.

Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Thursday, Cassidy, 27 Kilbrennan Drive, Tamfourhill, admitted the assaults he committed on February 12.

Procurator fiscal depute Samantha Brown said: “The accused and the complainer had been at a pub and returned home at 5.30pm. There were a number of youths outside the address, including the complainer’s daughter.

“The accused asked the youths to leave and the complainer’s son was getting together some items with the intention of leaving the premises. He entered the kitchen area and the accused pushed him on the body, causing him to fall into a washing basket.

“The accused then struck him on the right cheek causing redness and slight swelling. The complainer began shouting at the accused not to touch any of the children and thereafter he slapped the woman to the face.

“The children are shouting at the accused about hitting their mother and, as she was lying on the floor crying, the accused grabbed her hand then pulled an engagement ring from her finger, causing bruising.”

Stephen Biggam, defence solicitor, said Cassidy had found his partner’s children “challenging” and “confrontational”. He added that friends had been invited around to the house with the ambition of having a drinking session and Cassidy confronted the children about it.

“Within families, things escalate very quickly,” said Mr Biggam.

Sheriff Derek Livingston took account of Cassidy’s past record – two convictions for assault to severe injury – and placed him on a supervised community payback order for 30 months with the condition he attend the Caledonian domestic abuse programme.