Violent offender attacked his grandparents in Denny assault

Connor Fairlie (29) appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court earlier today having pleaded guilty to the assaults he committed against his grandparents, both in their late 70s at the time, at an address in Denny on July 22 last year.

The attacks saw first offender Fairlie seize a mobile phone from his grandfather’s hand, push him to the ground and then repeatedly kick him to his injury.

He then kicked his grandmother on the leg to her severe injury.

At an appearance last month Sheriff Christopher Shead deferred sentence on Fairlie until May 5 to find out what Fairlie’s grandparents’ attitudes were to the offender and to the offences he committed.

Sadly at court today, it was stated Fairlie’s grandfather had died since that last court appearance. There was nothing stated to suggest his death had anything to do with the assault, which happened in July last year.

As to the attitude of the surviving victim of Fairlie’s attacks, procurator fiscal depute Rachel Wallace stated Fairlie’s grandmother was not scared of him but “did not see herself building a relationship with him” and was said to be in favour of a non-harassment order being imposed.

Simon Hutchison, defence solicitor, said: “He has significant issues and clearly is a young man who does have needs. He did not have any previous convictions and has nothing since.

"His grandfather has now unfortunately passed away since this incident and his grandmother doesn’t want anything more to do with him”

Sheriff Shead said: “These were significant offences against vulnerable members of his family.”

He placed Fairlie, 32 Highland Dykes Crescent, Bonnybridge, on a supervised community payback order for 18 months and made him subject to a restriction of liberty order, meaning he must remain in his home between the hours of 8pm and 7am for the next eight months.

A non-harassment order was also put in place preventing Fairlie from having any contact with his grandmother for two years.