A Dundee dad who armed himself with a knife and a hatchet when his daughter’s boyfriend showed up at his flat has been jailed.
Brian Cooney lost his temper and picked up the weapons when the man attended at his flat in Bonnethill Court.
His rampage was filmed by worried neighbours who watched with concern through their peephole.
A solicitor acting for Cooney explained his daughter’s partner had attended at the property shortly after being released from jail.
He said the boyfriend pushed his client into a window then returned after police left.
Cooney, whose criminal record stretched back to 1995, is now behind bars himself.
Furious footage
Dundee Sheriff Court was shown footage of Cooney losing his temper in the landing of his multi which had been filmed by neighbours through their peephole.
In the clip, Cooney could be seen striking a red and black sports holdall jettisoned by his daughter’s partner in the hallway with an axe.
After being brought to court from HMP Perth where he has been on remand since December 12, Cooney admitted acting in a threatening or abusive manner on March 8 in 2023.
He pled guilty to acting aggressively while in possession of a knife and an axe and striking a bag with the latter.
The unemployed 46-year-old also pled guilty to possession of both offensive weapons on the same afternoon.
Took out ‘ire’
Solicitor Ross Bennett said: “The accused has a daughter who was and indeed it is Mr Cooney’s understanding, still is, in a relationship.
“There’s been difficulties in that relationship.
“(Cooney’s daughter’s partner) had just recently been released from prison. He turns up, (Cooney’s daughter) lets him into the flat.”
“Almost immediately there is an altercation between (him) and Mr Cooney.
“That ended up with Mr Cooney being pushed and thrown towards the window and it in fact breaking.
“Mr Cooney suspects that another neighbour phoned the police.”
Mr Bennett said: “The police turned up and could see Mr Cooney had a scratch to his back and the window was broken.
“They try to get Mr Cooney to make a complaint and honour amongst thieves comes out.
“He doesn’t want to get his daughter’s partner in trouble, although he perhaps should have done.
“Moments after the police leave, (Cooney’s daughter’s partner) comes back. At this point, Mr Cooney doesn’t want another incident.
“He arms himself, which he now accepts was a stupid act and could have resulted in much more seriousness for him, albeit this is serious enough.
“He takes out his ire on (his daughter’s partner’s) sports bag.”
Behind bars
Mr Bennett said his client was taking 15 to 20 etizolam tablets a day at the time but has kicked the habit following a health scare.
He added that the two men’s relationship is now amicable.
Sheriff Harry Small jailed Cooney for 16 months, backdated to December.
He said: “Mr Cooney, you have a lengthy record for violence but most of it is historic and never before have you appeared in court for possession of weapons in public or use of weapons.
“In the whole circumstance, I’ve come to the view that no disposal other than custody is appropriate.
“At first glance it looks horrendous but your solicitor has put it in context.
“No one was injured.
“I don’t see it as at the top end of weapons charges.”
In 2019, Cooney was jailed for almost four years after admitting a savage domestic assault on his ex partner which included putting her in a sleeper hold during a drug-fuelled rage while saying “night night, sleepy time.”
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