by Craig Borland

A CLYDEBANK man who made violent, drunken threats towards his partner has avoided a prison sentence - “by the skin of his teeth”.

Alan Hope, 31, refused to leave the woman's home in Craigbanzo Street in Faifley on July 16 despite being repeatedly asked to do so – and also ignored police warnings to stop threatening her.

Laura Knox, prosecuting, told Dumbarton Sheriff Court on August 18 that Hope, of Bryson Street, had appeared drunk when he arrived at the woman's home – and had become verbally aggressive towards her when she asked him to leave.

“He called her a f*****g cow,” Ms Knox said. “She said if he didn't leave she would contact his father, but this appeared to anger the accused and he continued to call her a f*****g cow.”

Ms Knox said the woman had threatened to call the police, and Hope replied by threatening to hurt her if she did so.

Despite this, police were contacted, but as they removed Hope from the house he shouted “you're getting f*****g done”, and he was arrested as a result.

The court heard that Hope was already the subject of two community payback orders as a result of previous offences.

Judith Weir, defending, told the court Hope and his partner had got back together since the incident, and said alcohol and mental health difficulties lay at the heart of a criminal record which had “escalated” since 2014..

“Having had a significant blip here, he has done everything he can to immediately get matters back on track,” she said.

Hope was told to carry out 166 hours of unpaid work within nine months, with a review date fixed for October 20.

Sheriff Gerry McMillan told him: “With two orders already running, and your record, my first inclination would be to send you to jail today.

“You have clearly lamentably failed. If you breach this order all matters will come back before the court and the only option for you is jail.

“It could well have been that today – you are avoiding jail by the skin of your teeth.”