A former soldier who smashed up his former partner’s hot-tub with garden shears has been warned he could face prison.
David Langton caused £600 worth of damage to the tub and fell foul of anti-stalking legislation by bombarding the woman with unwanted text messages.
Langton, 51, of Farm Court, Anstruther, admitted that between August 9 and 15 at Cromwell Road, Rosyth, he engaged in a course of conduct which caused his former partner fear or alarm by repeatedly striking a hot tub with garden shears causing damage to it and sending her messages he knew were not wanted.
Depute fiscal Alex Piper said that the complainer saw Langton go to the hot-tub with a bottle of wine.
She tried to persuade him to go home but an argument then followed.
In the early hours of the morning the woman had barricaded the back door to keep Langton out of the house and she then saw him start to kick and attack the hot-tub.
Over the following days the woman received unwanted text messages from Langton.
“They were expressing either love or hate to the complainer. He apologised for the damage caused to the hot-tub and offered to pay for a new one,” said the depute.
Defence solicitor Roshni Joshi said: “He accepts this was not the right way to deal with what had happened. He regrets that behaviour. The text messages were not abusive and in the main were offering to pay for the damage caused.
“He accepts his behaviour was completely inappropriate by damaging the hot-tub.”
The court heard Langton is already on a community payback order imposed at Kirkcaldy for another domestic offence and is taking part in a domestic abuse programme.
He also faces a court case in Dundee involving another person.
Sheriff Charles Macnair was concerned at comments made to a social worker by Langton apparently blaming his offending on his previous partners.
Ms Joshi said her client had served in the army for 11 years and has “an admirable work ethic”.
Sheriff Macnair told Langton: “You appear to have a big problem when it comes to relationships.
“You’re going to have to sort it out or Perth prison will have to sort it out for you.”
The sheriff imposed a community payback with 170 hours of unpaid work and ordered Langton to pay £750 compensation.
A non-harassment order was also imposed for 12 months.
