Offender threatened to 'tie up' and murder ex partner's daughter during Grangemouth domestic

Benn Grainger, 41, was said to have endured a “tumultuous relationship” with his former partner’s 21-year-old daughter and he told her mother on a couple of occasions he was going to tie her up, take her outside and kill her.

Things came to a head when Grainger’s ex-partner told him she wanted him out of the house and he ended up standing “toe-to-toe” with her and telling her to call her family, he would take them all on.

Grainger appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, having pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour at an address in Islay Court, Grangemouth on March 5.

Procurator fiscal depute Fiona Griffin said: “They had been in a relationship for two-and-a-half years but it ended in November 2021 – however, they still lived at the same address.

"It was 2.30pm when the accused and the complainer were within the address. A minor verbal argument started between them, with the accused telling the complainer he was going to make life difficult.

"She asked him to move out and he told her ‘I will go when I’m ready – I’m the boss, the big man, I rule this place’. He continued to speak to her in a threatening manner and threatened to kill the complainer’s daughter, stating ‘I will tie her up and kill her’.”

He then threatened to take his former partner’s family on in a fight.

"She told him to leave, he was no longer welcome,” said the procurator fiscal depute. “He stood toe to toe with her and again said he would take her daughter outside, tie her up and do away with her.

"The accused continued to shout and swear at the complainer and her daughter before leaving the address. He was traced by police a short distance away and told officers he didn’t do it.”

The court heard Grainger, who had now moved down to Darlington, did not have much of a previous criminal record, but he did have difficulty with alcohol addiction and that was said to have contributed to the offence he committed on the day in question.

He was said to have “fallen off the wagon” and that the relationship between him and his former partner’s daughter had been “somewhat tumultuous from the beginning” and that she supposedly tried to make his life a misery because she wanted him out of the house.

It was stated Grainger had no intention of coming back up north or have any further contact with his former partner or her daughter.

Sheriff Simon Collins QC deferred sentence on Grainger, Flat 7 St Geroge’s Hall, Elmfield Street, Darlington, for six months to December 22 to see if he could be of good behaviour in that time and engage with alcohol services.

His bail conditions stated he must have no contact whatsoever with his former partner or her daughter in that time.