A hungover man left a child bagpiper “traumatised” in Callander after ripping his instrument from his arms as he busked for sweetie money.
Andrew Sturrock had been woken from a drunken slumber and slammed the expensive instrument to the ground, causing £150 of damage.
Stirling Sheriff Court heard the boy, who was just 10 at the time, has suffered recurring nightmares and has given up busking as a result.
Busker, 10, told to ‘shut the f*** up’
Fiscal depute Lucy Clarke told the court the piper had set up on the Callander’s Station Road.
She said: “At 9am (the complainer), aged 10, attended at Station Road dressed in his kilt and with his bagpipes to busk for money for sweets.
“At 9.30am a witness was within her motor vehicle while another witness was unloading his lorry – they witnessed the incident.
“The accused marched from his address, went over to (the complainer), and shouted at him ‘shut the f*** up’.
“He proceeded to pull the bagpipes from him and throw them on the ground, causing damage.”
She said the witnesses came to the boy’s aid and told Sturrock to leave.
He did so but returned and had to be told to leave for a second time.
The prosecutor said the boy was left “inconsolable”.
“The Crown has information from his mother that he continues to be traumatised by this and has struggled to sleep and has recurring nightmares about the accused approaching him and shouting in his face.
“He’s lost confidence playing his bagpipes and no longer wishes to busk.”
Still drunk from night before
Solicitor Virgil Crawford, defending, said Sturrock had been drinking heavily the night before the incident.
“He was in a drunken slumber when he heard these bagpipes outside his window.
“He was still intoxicated when he went out to stop the noise.
“He didn’t appreciate that it was a child playing the bagpipes but he does accept that it was.
“He went back to apologise to the lad but was told he was better going back to his house.
“It was a drunken act, a foolish act and one that he regrets.”
Sturrock, of Station Road admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards the child on August 6 last year by shouting, swearing and seizing his bagpipes.
‘Hang your head in shame’
Sheriff Mark O’Hanlon lambasted the 40-year-old, saying: “This was appalling behaviour to a 10-year-old child.
“To behave this way is extremely unacceptable. You should hold your head in shame.”
He placed Sturrock on an 18-month supervision order and told him he must pay £500 compensation to the boy.
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