A man who caused thousands of pounds worth of damage after jumping over a bar in Stirlingshire when he got drunk wetting his baby’s head has narrowly avoided imprisonment.
Thomas Tetstall previously admitted maliciously damaging items in the Cowie Tavern and assaulting a 22-year-old bar worker.
Stirling Sheriff Court heard new dad Tetstall had been plied with more booze after being ordered away from the family home when he came home drunk.
He became violent when he was refused service, caused more than £3,000 worth of damage and left the terrified bartender needing almost a month off work to recover.
Self-employed Tetstall, 39, must compensate both the bar and its employee and was handed the maximum amount of unpaid work available, as well as a restriction of liberty order.
Tavern terroriser
Tetstall previously pled guilty to assaulting the woman in The Cowie Tavern on August 21 in 2022.
He shouted and threatened her with violence before pushing and kicking at a gate which secured the bar area.
Tetstall then jumped over the bar and seized her by the body and threatened to damage property.
He also demanded she provide him with more alcohol and open the till drawer.
Tetstall, of Berryhill in Cowie, admitted maliciously throwing bottles and glassware to the ground causing them to break, throwing bar stools and damaging draught beer taps.
The court heard he arrived at the Main Street bar at around 8pm but flew off the handle after three and a half hours of drinking.
After grabbing the terrified employee, Tetstall asked her: “Are you going to help me?”
In total, the damage cost the bar more than £3,500.
The worker was required to take three weeks off work and covering her shifts cost management a further £540.
Wet the baby’s head
Solicitor Frazer McCready said: “Alcohol has been problematic for Mr Tetstall throughout his adult life – he is described as a binge drinker.
“His recollection of what happened is very limited.
“He has a recollection that he had been working, that he had gone to the pub on the way home and he had arrived home smelling of drink.
“He had recently become a father. He was told in no uncertain terms that he should not have returned home in such a state.
“He decided to go to the Cowie Tavern. People were buying him alcohol to wet the baby’s head.
“Unfortunately, drink got the better of him. He was told to leave.
“It’s quite clear he was trying to get alcohol.
“He very, very much regrets this offence.”
Mr McCready explained his client spent eight days on remand after first appearing and has been on a bail curfew for 20 months.
“He is fortunate enough to be in full time employment… laying 5G internet cables.
“Mr Tetstall loves his job. When he’s off the drink, he is a decent member of society.
“He does have a number of convictions for violence.”
‘High price’ for liberty
Sheriff Derek Hamilton ordered Tetstall to compensate the Cowie Tavern with £4,000 and pay the injured employee £500.
He said: “You’ll appreciate given your history for violence that custody is very much on the cards here.
“If you are to avoid custody, it has to be at a high price.”
The sheriff placed Tetstall under supervision for two years and on a 9pm to 7am curfew for three months.
He also ordered Tetstall to complete 300 hours of unpaid work.
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