A dog breeder trashed his Fife hotel room, then was caught with an illegal pepper spray he claimed was for keeping other animals away from his valuable pet.
Daniel Robertson was found with a German-made product called “dragon pepper spray” which he had bought on a website for dog breeders.
The 36-year-old appeared in the dock to admit a contravention of the Firearms Act by possessing the can of irritant spray, deemed an illegal weapon under the legislation.
He also admitted causing £3,500 worth of damage during a drunken rampage at the Holiday Inn Express in Dunfermline’s Halbeath Road on July 30 last year.
He had been there with his dog so it could be used for mating in the area.
Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard the can of spray was found after he was arrested for trashing the hotel room.
Court papers state Robertson, of Drumillan Hill, Greenock, damaged a TV and a window, discharged a fire extinguisher across the alcohol-soaked room and pulled a skirting board from the wall.
He pled guilty to a charge of vandalism.
Dog breeder trashed Fife hotel room
Prosecutor Amy Robertson told the court a guest at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel informed a night porter about “shouting and screaming” from male and female voices in room 133 at around 1.30am.
When the night porter approached, he was told to “f**k off” by the man who answered the door.
Police arrived to find Robertson in the room with a “large dog,” the fiscal said.
The inside pane of a double glazed window was smashed and the TV was “smashed and upside down on the floor”.
The fiscal depute said: “Foam from a fire extinguisher was sprayed on the ceiling and alcohol was covering almost every surface in the room.
“A skirting board was also ripped from the wall.”
Ms Robertson said the total cost of damage for repair was £3,500.
‘Self defence’ spray
The fiscal depute said Robertson was severely intoxicated but gave his details, saying his wife had also been in the room but he was unsure where she had gone.
While in custody, Robertson was found to be carrying the dragon pepper irritant spray.
The prosecutor said: “The accused stated that it’s to keep other dogs away from his dog.
“It was seized by officers”.
Forensic analysis showed the substance to be made in Germany and a “self defence device,” the fiscal said.
Ms Robertson said it was a noxious substance and considered illegal under the Firearms Act.
Mitigation
Defence lawyer Robert Mitchell said Robertson and his wife were breeding dogs and were in Dunfermline as the dog he had in the room was to be bred in the area.
The solicitor said: “It (the spray) was purchased on a website for dog breeders, openly.
“It was for a valuable dog like he had, to keep other dogs away from it.”
Mr Mitchell stressed it was sold openly and it had not occurred to his client it might be an offence to have it.
In relation to the vandalism, the lawyer said his client could not explain what happened and that “he was drunk”.
He said Robertson, a married dad-of-three, is currently unemployed and was the victim of an assault at work which “will end up in the High Court”.
Sheriff Garry Sutherland made a £3,500 compensation order and deferred sentence on him for three months to be of good behaviour, after which he can expect to be admonished if he stays out of trouble.
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