A grieving Perth woman has been jailed for an explosive assault at her father’s wake.
Gillian Thomson’s cigarette lighter blew up when she punched a man in the face hours after her dad’s funeral.
Her victim was left bruised and scratched following the sudden assault in the city’s Fleshers Vennel.
Thomson, 36, appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted assaulting the man to his injury on February 19 this year.
She was told there was no alternative to custody.
Remorseful
Prosecutor Stuart Hamilton told the court: “Following the funeral for the accused’s father, parties attended in the city centre for drinks.
“At about 7.30pm, the accused became rowdy and began shouting.
“She was told to go home because she had had too much to drink.”
Thomson eventually agreed to leave, the fiscal depute said.
“While she was outside waiting for a taxi, she punched the complainer to the face with a closed fist while she was holding a cigarette lighter.
“That caused the lighter to explode on impact, to the complainer’s face.”
Mr Hamilton said the victim did not require medical treatment, but had a scratched face and bruising.
“The accused got into a taxi and the matter was reported to the police,” he said.
“When she was traced by officers on March 7, she was described as being remorseful.”
No animosity against victim
Solicitor John McLauchlin, defending, said: “Her father had died of a massive heart attack.
“She was very close to him and during the course of the day she took alcohol.”
He said: “The young man who she struck lived across the road from the family. She has no animosity against him.
“She was in an emotional state and she cannot understand why she did this.”
Sheriff Jennifer Bain KC told Thomson: “I have taken account of all that has been said about the very unfortunate circumstances of this day.
“Whilst you were no doubt upset on the day of your father’s funeral, there was no excuse for you behaving in this way towards someone who – on the face of it – was not doing you any harm.”
She said: “There is no alternative to custody given the circumstances.”
Thomson, of Shore Road, Perth, was jailed for 15 weeks.
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