Offender smashed glass door at Falkirk GP surgery

Angry at being refused a sick line an offender arrived in a rage at a doctor’s surgery and proceeded to shatter a glass door.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

A year earlier he had made threats to kill staff at a job centre and another medical practice.

Anthony Orchard (45) appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Thursday having pleaded guilty to the threatening behaviour and damaging property at Wallace Medical Centre, Thornhills Road, Falkirk on April 23 last year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He also admitted threatening behaviour at The Access Point, Leith Street, Edinburgh on June 17, 2019.

Orchard appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Thursday to answer for his threatening behaviour and damaging property offencesOrchard appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Thursday to answer for his threatening behaviour and damaging property offences
Orchard appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Thursday to answer for his threatening behaviour and damaging property offences

India MacLean, procurator fiscal depute, said: “The accused had contacted the medical centre requesting a consultation with the doctor. He was told to phone back for an update, which he did.

"He was read out the consultation notes over the phone and was told he wouldn’t be issued with a sick line. He began shouting, ‘don’t interrupt me’, then said he was going to attend at the practice.

"Five minutes late he did attend and was banging on the door. He began walking around outside shouting ‘you better answer the phone’ and ‘I’ve got to get a sick line’

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"He continued to bang on the glass door and buzzing the bell consistently. He banged on the glass door until it shattered.”

Read More
Dennyloanhead domestic offender chucked phone at telly

A year before this incident Orchard turned up at a surgery in Edinburgh and threatened to kill staff.

"He was told he would have to come back for a further appointment in a week’s time,” said the procurator fiscal depute. “He became annoyed a this and started to behave aggressively, stating ‘I will go to the job centre and kill them all’.

"Police attended and he continued to shout and swear saying he was going to stab the doctor he had been speaking to. He then told officers ‘I didn’t realise I had said that’.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sheriff Derek Livingston placed Orchard, 58 Victoria Road, Falkirk, on a community payback order with the condition he complete 100 hours unpaid work within 12 months and told him to pay Wallace Medical Centre £250 compensation at a rate of £25 per month.

Thank you for reading this article on our free-to-read website. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

Please consider purchasing a subscription to our print newspaper to help fund our trusted, fact-checked journalism.