A Perthshire man who struck a woman with a screwdriver has been sent to prison for seven and a half months.
Paul Pitcairn (25), of Abercairney Close, Auchterarder, was described at Perth Sheriff Court as a “paranoid schizophrenic”.
He had two previous convictions for assault in April 2003 he was sentenced to probation, and in April 2007 he was sent to prison for 100 days for assaulting a child with an airgun.
On Thursday, he admitted that on July 22 at an address in Abercairney Close, Auchterarder, he assaulted a woman by striking her on the forearm with a screwdriver.
Depute fiscal John Malpass told the court the complainer and other witnesses were in the back garden of a house when Pitcairn arrived beside an adjoining fence.
“The accused asked that he join them but he was refused,” he said. “At that time he jumped over the fence and made his way towards the complainer and others. He was holding a screwdriver in his right hand.
“The accused walked towards the complainer and shouted at her: ‘I am going to strike you.’ He drew the pointed end of the screwdriver over her forearm.”
The court heard the woman moved away but she still had an inch-long incision on her right forearm. She didn’t request any medical attention and Pitcairn was later traced.
Solicitor Billy Sommerville said his client was a “paranoid schizophrenic” and regrets what happened.
Sentencing Pitcairn, Sheriff Robert McCreadie said: “A screwdriver is a pretty formidable weapon and can cause severe damage. This must have been a truly frightening episode for the lady.”
Sentence was backdated to July 22.