Elgin man who confronted neighbour with meat cleaver is fined
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
AN Elgin resident who brandished a meat cleaver to confront a neighbour has been fined.
Elgin Sheriff Court heard that there had been tension between William Wylie, of Bain Road in Elgin, and the other man before things came to a head on May 2 this year.
The court was told that as Wylie returned home, his neighbour was involved in a discussion with someone else about a scooter in a nearby garden which they wanted returned.
Wylie mistakenly thought something said by the neighbour had been directed at him. He said "don't speak to me like that" to which his neighbour asked him to calm down.
The 43-year-old defendant went home briefly before returning to confront his neighbour with a meat cleaver.
The neighbour asked him if he was "going to use that?"
Wylie replied: "Look at the size of you. Of course I'm going to use it."
The court was told that Wylie returned home and discarded the meat cleaver before police were called to arrest him.
Defence solicitor Matthew O'Neill said that it was an "unfortunate incident" and added that Wylie had picked up the cleaver because he felt "intimidated".
The neighbour was described as a "large individual" and that Wylie was not keeping well at the time although he accepted that he should have stayed at home.
O'Neill claimed that many people in the area had "problems" with the neighbour and their family although they are set to be relocated by Moray Council.
Wylie admitted a charge of possessing a bladed weapon in a public space without a reasonable excuse and a second charge of acting in a threatening manner at Elgin Sheriff Court on October 13.
However, the case was adjourned for six weeks to get a GP's opinion on whether Wylie was medically capable of carrying out unpaid work for the community.
The GP's report indicated that he was not capable of carrying out unpaid work and Sheriff Eric Brown instead handed Wylie a financial penalty of £245 to be paid back in fortnightly instalments.
Sheriff Brown added: "I hope this means you can leave this incident behind you."
