Angus newlyweds spent their wedding night apart behind bars following an off-licence bust-up just three hours after tying the knot — and within days of a compassionate sheriff sparing the groom from prison so he could walk up the aisle.
Graeme Leslie will now have an extended honeymoon in custody after being remanded following Friday’s rammy in Montrose when wedding bells descended into booze-fuelled hell for staff and customers at a high street shop called Party Time.
The pair delivered a volley of foul abuse after a failed attempt to buy cider to keep the wedding party going, with ex-soldier Leslie telling one police officer: “I’ll do time for you, I was in Perth when Perth was Perth, not like Butlins today.”
His new bride, Margaret, winked as the 61-year-old was led from the cells and into the dock beside her at Forfar, the couple separated by a G4S security ‘attendant’ as they sat together for the first time since the happy day turned sour.
The couple, both of Scotson Place, St Cyrus admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at Montrose High Street on September 9 and depute fiscal Jill Drummond revealed the incident happened just three hours after the wedding ceremony, which had been followed by a small party in a local pub.
The newlyweds went to the off-licence and Leslie bought two bottles of cider, prompting a customer to joke: “I drank that once, that’ll give you some hangover.”
The throwaway comment triggered a barrage of foul abuse from the Falklands and Northern Ireland Royal Artillery veteran, before Leslie knocked over £25 worth of goods when he was told he was not going to be served.
A frightened assistant activated the shop’s panic alarm and when Leslie was asked by another customer if it was his wedding day he told them: “**** off, what the **** has it got to do with you.”
Once outside the shop, his new bride joined in the abuse, screaming “You ******* ruined my wedding day, you *****.”
Police arrived and the new Mrs Leslie was still shouting and threatening the shop assistant, with shocked families looking on as the high street bust-up was played out.
They were taken to Arbroath police station and kept in separate cells for their first hours of their wedding night, with the new groom appearing in the dock still wearing his grey pinstripe suit and primrose shirt wedding attire.
Leslie’s solicitor, Nick Markowski said his client had little recollection of events but had already paid for the damaged stock.
He said his client had been released on a high tariff deferred sentence on September 1, adding: “He got married for the third time on Friday, but has indicated it is not third time lucky.
“Alcohol has unfortunately blighted his life. He just couldn’t keep his mouth shut.
“The only question is whether he spends his honeymoon in St Cyrus or elsewhere. He feels he has let the court down and let his wife down,” added Mr Markowski.
Solicitor Nick Whelan, for Mrs Leslie, said the 56-year-old had played a lesser part in the offence and got involved after believing her husband was being wronged when he came out of the shop.
“She didn’t envisage spending the evening of her wedding in a police station, but that’s what happened,” said Mr Whelan.
Sheriff Gregor Murray deferred sentence on the pair until October 6 for reports, remanding Mr and granting Mrs bail.
