A retired firefighter will reappear at Oban Sheriff Court on November 29 for sentencing after admitting an incident with a knife.
George Dow, 52, of Brander Lodge Hotel, Bridge of Awe pleaded guilty at his first court appearance on September 25 this year.
The charge was that on September 24 at Glenview in Dalmally he behaved in a threatening and abusive way, acting in an aggressive manner, shouting and swearing and taking possession of a knife, striking a sofa with it, and also uttered threats of violence towards his partner while in possession of the knife.
Dow, who was in court on November 1, remains on conditional bail and his case was continued by sheriff Euan Cameron for more reports.
Procurator Fiscal depute Raeesa Ahmed told the court last week that on September 24 Dow had been in the living room of the address in Dalmally when he got angry, he took a kitchen knife and stabbed it into the arm of the settee and then stood over his partner and held the knife next to her neck. She kicked him away and was able to call the police.
When police arrived at the scene the complainant had returned home and Dow was still in the living room.
He told police it was not a big knife, and that it was a small knife. “I’m going to do the right thing,” he told officers, saying he was a retired fireman who had served for over 29 years before retiring.
Defence solicitor Kevin McGuinness told the court that Dow and his partner had “consumed a large amount of alcohol” on September 24 and that his client was “full of regret” about it.
“Since then he had drastically reduced his alcohol intake,” added Mr McGuinness saying Dow’s focus was on becoming completely abstinent from alcohol.
The court heard Dow who referred to himself as “a happy drunk” was known as a valued member in his community because of his helpfulness.
In continuing the case for more reports before sentencing, Sheriff Cameron told Dow he had presented “deplorable” behaviour and “you can only imagine how terrified your victim must have felt”.