A mother and daughter, along with other bus passengers, were upset by a drunken man urinating in his seat.
Eric Haig had boarded the vehicle, travelling from Peebles to Melrose, carrying a bottle of wine.
The 50-year-old, of Gala Park, Galashiels, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by exposing himself and urinating on a bus travelling on the A72 near Clovenfords on August 10.
Tessa Bradley, prosecuting, said a mother and her four-year-old daughter were travelling on the bus when the accused joined them and other passengers on the top deck.
“They noticed he was carrying a bottle of wine, and then heard a trickling noise and saw the accused urinating in his seat,” explained Ms Bradley, adding: “They were upset and disgusted.”
The driver was told of the accused’s behaviour and Haig initially claimed to have spilled some wine, but the prosecutor told the court: “The driver could see a puddle and knew that was not the case.”
Haig hurried off the bus and was later detained by police, telling officers: “I’m very sorry.”
His solicitor, Mat Patrick, said Haig had been in no further trouble since the offence and was taking steps to address his alcohol problem.
“He has not overcome it, but is trying to do something about it. He realises this offence must have been upsetting to those who witnessed it,” added Mr Patrick.
Haig was sentenced to a community payback order with 75 hours of unpaid work, to be completed within six months.
EIGHT MONTHS FOR GALA THIEF
A thief who breached a previously-imposed community payback order (CPO) was jailed for eight months.
Kenneth Waddell appeared from custody and admitted the breach.
The 32-year-old, of Hawthorn Road, Galashiels, had been handed a CPO for repeated thefts from shops in the town.
He had pleaded guilty to stealing sockets worth £170 from B&Q at Wilderhaugh on February 15 last year. There was no recovery of the stolen items. He also admitted stealing two handbags containing various items at Poundstretcher eight days later. The haul was valued at £450, with just £100 recovered.
The following month, on March 8, Waddell stole £10 worth of perfume from Asda, with no recovery, and foodstuffs and a DVD game, worth £30, at Spar in Marigold Bank. Again, there was no recovery.
Waddell also admitted stealing mobile phones at Tesco in on April 13. The phones, worth £188, were recovered. He also pleaded guilty to the theft, on June 27, of alcohol worth £70 from Marks and Spencer. There was no recovery.
Sheriff Jamie Gilmour told the accused he was revoking the CPO and imposing a jail term, commenting: “You clearly have no regard for the order and are currently remanded for another matter.”
RELEASED ON BAIL
A Galashiels man appeared in private charged on petition with breaching a sexual offence order.
Mark King, 39, of Magdala Terrace, made no plea or declaration, was fully committed and released on bail.
COMMUNITY PAYBACK ORDER
A husband who assaulted his wife after she accused him of being untidy was sentenced to a community payback order with 60 hours of unpaid work.
Mark McSorley, 30, of Ruberslaw Road, Hawick, admitted seizing his wife by the neck and pushing her, causing her to fall to her injury, at their home on July 12.
“They have been together for seven to eight years, and married in June,” said Graham Fraser, prosecuting.
Mr Fraser added: “There was an argument between them about his untidiness. He said he was going to leave and go back to his mother at Prestonpans, and went to her purse to take some money.”
He went on: “She tried to stop him and he pushed her and she fell.”
The woman sustained grazing to her knee and soreness to her wrist and ankle.
McSorley’s lawyer, Rory Bannerman, said his client’s wife had accompanied him to court, adding: “He appreciates that pushing her is not acceptable, but tempers were frayed.”
The court heard McSorley had been of good behaviour during seven months of previously-deferred sentence. He was given three months to complete the unpaid work.
THREATENED TO ‘SMASH FACE’
A Hawick man who threatened to smash his partner’s face was admonished.
John Clark, 25, of Princes Street, pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at a house in Burnfoot, Hawick, on July 30.
Prosecutor Graham Fraser explained: “At around 3.30am, there was an argument about problems in their two-year relationship. They had separated four days before and she started to pack her bags, and he began to shout, threatening to smash her face and smash the house.”
The woman dialled 999 and police could hear her crying loudly.
Alison Marshall, defending, said the couple had now reconciled and Clark’s partner had accompanied him to court. She added: “There has been no repetition and the relationship is ongoing. Drink was not a factor and this was out of character.”
Hearing Clark had been of good behaviour during six months of deferred sentence, Sheriff Derrick McIntyre admonished the accused.
SWORE AT PARTNER
A 41-year-old man shouted and swore at his partner when they met at Borders College campus.
Harvey Hunt, of Inchmyre, Kelso, pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at Melrose Road, Galashiels, on January 14.
His partner of 15 years was in the college canteen with others when Hunt began swearing at her. He walked off, leaving her distressed and crying.
Iain Burke, defending, said his client appreciated his behaviour was unacceptable, explaining Hunt had gone to the college to speak to his partner about finances. The couple had now separated.
Sheriff Jamie Gilmour sentenced Hunt to a community payback order with 50 hours of unpaid work, to be completed within six months.
ANGRY PARENT ADMONISHED
Angered by a school exclusion order, a parent ripped up the paperwork and stormed out of an office.
Pupils were visibly frightened and upset by Caroline McLaren’s behaviour.
The offence happened at Tweedbank Primary School as some 80 pupils were preparing to leave at the end of the day.
McLaren, 40, of Weavers Linn, Galashiels, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on January 24 last year.
After hearing she had been of good behaviour during a period of deferred sentence, Sheriff Jamie Gilmour admonished her.
PORNOGRAPHIC IMAGES CHARGE
A woman has denied providing two children with alcohol and allowing them to be shown pornographic images.
Thirty-one-year-old Gillian Lauder pleaded not guilty to culpable and reckless conduct at her Killie Court home in Tweedbank on October 5.
She will stand trial on May 27, with an intermediate hearing on April 28.
TEENAGER’S RAPE THREAT
VIA a social networking site, a 16-year-old threatened to rape a man’s dead mother.
Jamie Mitchell, of Albert Place, Galashiels, admitted sending grossly offensive messages to a man and repeatedly making threats of sexual violence involving his family on July 30.
One of the messages Mitchell posted on Facebook read: “I’m going to rape your dead mum and smash her gravestone.”
Just 11 days earlier, a drunken Mitchell told a police officer he had raped his wife the previous night.
“He called the police constable a bald c**t and said he had raped his wife,” explained prosecutor Tessa Bradley.
The teenager pleaded guilty to repeatedly shouting and swearing, and uttering threats of violence at Currie Road, Galashiels, on July 19 last year. He also admitted assaulting a doctor at Borders General Hospital’s accident and emergency department on the same date.
Sentence was deferred for a further three months for him to be of good behaviour.
HEROIN ALLEGATION
A woman who denies being concerned in the supply of heroin had a further first hearing set for February 21.
Janine Mullins, 35, formerly of Eyemouth and currently staying at Keppoch Hill Road, Glasgow, appeared on indictment and pleaded not guilty to being concerned in the supply of diamorphine at a flat in Chapel Quay, Chapel Street, Eyemouth, on May 1.
Mullins, whose bail was continued, is due to stand trial by jury on February 24.