Laurieston lout told police he would stab and then strangle his ex partner

Richard Boyle, 48, was said to have a tendency to “minimise” his vile behaviour, even though he threatened to kill his former partner in front of police officers.

Appearing from custody via video link at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, Boyle had pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour at an address in Kilbrennan Drive, Tamfourhill, and breaching his non-harassment order not to contact his ex partner on February 3.

Procurator fiscal depute Bernadette Cuthbertson said Boyle had been in a relationship with the woman for a year but that had ended.

He then began sending her messages saying she was a “joke”. When police were called in, Boyle said he was drunk at the time he sent the messages and told them he had received threats himself.

On another occasion Boyle turned up outside her premises holding a bottle of Buckfast.

"He pushed his way past her into the address,” said the procurator fiscal depute. “She repeatedly asked him to leave and he failed to do so. There was a struggle between them and he shouted works like ‘slag, whore and slut’.

"When police arrived he was found within the bedroom. He told officers ‘when I get out of the cells I’m going to stab her’ and ‘when I get out I’m going to grab her by the neck and strangle her’.”

Boyle later said he and his ex partner were just “being cheeky to each other”.

John Mullholland, defence solicitor, said Boyle had a “tendency to minimise his offending behaviour” and had a “lack of insight”.

It was stated Boyle had already served the equivalent of a 152 day sentence for the offence, having been remanded since February 3.

Sheriff Craig Harris said: “You minimise your offences and you blame the complainer, seeing yourself as a victim and you consider your behaviour normal.”

He placed Boyle, 3 School Road, Laurieston, on a supervised community payback order for two years with the condition he attend and engage with the Caledonian domestic abuse programme in that time period.