A nightmare ex-boyfriend pointed a loaded crossbow at his estranged partner and threatened to burn down her house during a cruel campaign of abuse.
Finnly Hawkins-Smith, a self-confessed “manipulative and vile creep of a man”, refused to leave his girlfriend’s Perthshire home for weeks after they broke up and made it clear he was unhappy he was not allowed to sleep in her bed.
His coercive and controlling behaviour over two months left his victim terrified, Perth Sheriff Court heard.
When she threatened to phone police, the 24-year-old coldly told her he had calculated how long it would take to torch the house before they arrived, leaving him a spare five minutes to “do whatever the f*** I want”.
Hawkins-Smith pled guilty to engaging in a course of abusive behaviour between September 1 and October 23 2024 at a property in Aberfeldy.
He was spared jail but ordered to keep away from his ex-partner for two years.
‘You have no idea what I’m capable of’
Fiscal depute Lissie Cooke said the couple had been together for about four years.
Hawkins-Smith was living in Devon when the relationship began but later moved into his girlfriend’s home.
The court heard the relationship was relatively trouble-free but was ended by the complainer in September 2024.
“She believed they had drifted apart,” said Ms Cooke.
After the break-up, the woman allowed Hawkins-Smith to stay at her home while he looked for alternative accommodation.
“She did not wish the accused to stay any longer than he needed to.
“She did want to share a bed with him, or for there to be any physical intimacy.
“The accused did not appreciate these requests.”
The court heard how Hawkins-Smith refused to leave during arguments.
Ms Cooke said the woman was sometimes so “scared and apprehensive” she recorded his behaviour using her mobile phone.
During one row, Hawkins-Smith told her: “You have no idea what I am capable of.”
“The complainer did not feel safe remaining at the locus with the accused,” Ms Cooke said.
Response times
As the weeks went by, he did very little to secure new accommodation.
During a row, Hawkins-Smith said: “I don’t give a f*** if you don’t feel safe.”
“When the complainer stood her ground and told the accused this was her property, he replied, ‘I will burn this f***ing place to the ground,’ the fiscal depute said.
Hawkins-Smith went on: “Try and throw me out, I will genuinely destroy everything.”
When she said she would phone police, he replied: “Cool. The average response time up here is 22 minutes – I’ve already checked.
“I could probably burn this place in about 17 minutes, giving me five minutes to do whatever the f*** I want.”
He added: “I told you not to try and throw me out. I told you not to f*** with me.
“I am going to be the most manipulative, vile creep of a man.”
Later, he said he lost his temper because she was being unreasonable.
‘Now it’s time to kick off’
The woman went to stay with her sister and the next morning they both returned to the house and ordered Hawkins-Smith to go.
“He left the address with no arguments or threats,” said Ms Cooke.
“That’s likely because of the presence of the complainer’s sister.”
Days later, Hawkins-Smith came back to pick up some of his belongings.
He pulled a 2-foot metal crossbow out of a bedroom wardrobe.
It was estimated he also had 12 six-inch bolts.
Ms Cooke said: “He pointed the crossbow at the direction of the complainer, while unloaded.
“She felt uncomfortable and told him not to do that.
“The accused placed a bolt in the crossbow and pointed it at a wall.”
He told her: “I’ve literally got an armed crossbow right now. Now it’s time to kick off.”
Hawkins-Smith raised the bow at the woman’s leg and said: “You literally have no self-preservation instinct.”
He added: “This wouldn’t kill you. At least not on the first bolt.”
She went to the bathroom but he used his foot to keep the door open.
He refused to leave her alone until she deleted a video of him from her phone.
Provocation claim
Solicitor Mike Tavendale, defending, said his client had moved back to Devon.
He said there was a degree of provocation in the relationship.
“Once she got a reaction, she knew which buttons to press.
“That’s not an excuse but it perhaps put things in context.”
Sheriff Andrew Berry placed Hawkins-Smith on supervision for a year and ordered him to carry out 135 hours unpaid work.
“What you have pled guilty to is a classic example of an extreme version of this type of charge,” he said.
“Your ex-partner was very much a victim here.
“Threatening to burn her house house is a very serious matter.
“And being at the wrong end of a crossbow… would have been terrifying.”
The sheriff, who noted Hawkins-Smith had no previous conviction, said the sentence was a direct alternative to prison.
He imposed a two-year non-harassment order and said the complainer could apply for a civil order to keep him away indefinitely.
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