Halloween costume kerfuffle leads to smashed door panel in Bonnybridge bust up

Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, Stephanie Donnelly, 31, had pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour – shouting, swearing and kicking a glass door panel causing it to smash – at an address in Woodburn Crescent, Bonnybridge on October 31 last year.

Donnelly drove to the complainer’s house to pick up a Halloween costume for her child and that is when the trouble started.

Bernadette Cuthbertson, procurator fiscal depute, said: “She immediately began ranting and raving towards him and he saw that both their children were within her motor vehicle and so tried not engage with her.

"He closed his van door and drove off.”

However, Donnely returned to his address.

"He had gone inside and locked the door,” said the procurator fiscal depute. “Moments later he heard her banging the door and loudly shouting and swearing. He opened the door, handed something to her and walked away.

“Seconds after he locked the door he heard the sound of glass smashing. The panel of glass adjacent to his front door was completely shattered. He opened the door and saw Miss Donnelly walking towards her car.

"In relation to the vandalism, she told police ‘I didn’t break that – I’m not strong enough to break something like that’. The cost of the damage is currently unknown – the property is owned by Falkirk Council.”

Defence solicitor Lynn Swan said: “She is a first offender and wants matters to be dealt with as soon as possible. They had been in a relationship for 16 years and had two children together.

"She then found out he had an affair and they separated. The date of the incident was Halloween and he was going to provide a costume for their daughter, but he had lost parts of the costume and tensions arose from there.”

Sheriff John MacRitchie said: “Everyone is capable of having an aberration on any particular day.”

Having heard Donnelly, 2 Allan Crescent, Dunipace, had been of good behaviour since committing the offence, Sheriff MacRitchie simply admonished her.

Lacking the information regarding the cost of the damage he said he was unable to make a compensation order in this case.