Too much of the Christmas spirit taken?

At Lanark Sheriff Court on Thursday, Stefan Muncie (30), of 3 Westworth Place, admitted that, on December 25, 2014 at his home, he behaved in a threatening manner likely to cause alarm to others in that he shouted, swore and uttered threats.

Depute fiscal John Penman told the court that, at about 11.30pm police officers on patrol received a radio message to go to Muncie’s home after a report of a disturbance.

On arrival they found Muncie in the kitchen “in a very drunken state and with a swollen eye and superficial cuts on the face.”

The officers heard Muncie say: “I am going to rip his ....... heid aff.”

He was told to calm down but didn’t and was eventually arrested and taken, first, to Lanark Police Station, and then on to Wishaw General Hospital to have what turned out to be minor injuries attended to. A solicitor for Muncie explained to the court that there had been “an altercation” during the Christmas celebrations in the house and the police had been called.

The solicitor went on to admit that his client was already serving two court orders for earlier matters.

He appealed to Sheriff Nikola Stewart not to jail his client and allow these two earlier non-custodial orders to run their course.

Muncie had a good, steady job as a roofer. The sheriff fined him £630.