A dad has been ordered to pay £600 compensation to his family after spoiling Christmas with his ‘drunken stupidity.’
Shame-faced hotel assistant manager Simon Walters appeared in the dock at Forfar Sheriff Court on Saturday having spent Thursday and Friday behind bars after a bust-up at the family home triggered by a large amount of rum and a mobile phone charger.
Walters, 47, of Holyrood Street in Carnoustie, admitted a charge of assaulting his wife on Thursday by pushing her and biting her on the hand to her injury.
The court was told the couple, who have been married for 14 years, had been out for dinner and returned home with his teenage children around 6pm.
They then started drinking and during the course of the evening downed around a litre of rum.
Around 11pm a row broke out over one of the children wanting to play on an Xbox, which sparked words between various members of the family.
At some point, the accused asked for a mobile phone charger but, because of the previous argument, the row blew up again.
Walters was told by his wife that he should apologise for his behaviour, at which the accused took umbrage and went to connect the charger to his phone.
His wife grabbed the charger, which saw the argument restart and he pushed her, causing her to stumble.
A verbal altercation between Walters and his wife continued and there was then a struggle in which the accused bit her hand, breaking the skin of one finger, the court was told.
Police were contacted and when they arrived shortly after midnight they saw teeth marks on the woman’s finger.
Walters was interviewed on Friday morning and admitted that he had been shouting and had grabbed his wife but denied biting her.
Defence solicitor Michael Boyd said his client was an assistant manager at the Woodlands Hotel and had come to the UK from Zimbabwe some three years ago.
“He had been working at the Woodlands, went to another family member’s home and then went home,” said Mr Boyd.
“That’s the first time Mr Walters and his wife consumed alcohol for over a year.
“The principal argument was over the mobile phone charger.
“It’s a difficult situation and one which his wife did not want to turn out as it has done,” added the solicitor.
Sheriff Gregor Murray told Walters: “It appears that through your own drunken, stupid act, you spoiled Christmas for your wife and your children.
“By way of making up to them for that, you will pay compensation to your wife and your children to the sum of £200 each.”