PERTH MAN JAILED AFTER ASSAULTING ELDERLY WOMAN AND THREATENING POLICE
A drunken thug assaulted a 79-year-old woman at Perth’s Lovat Hotel and threatened to stab police when they turned up to arrest him.Grant Coutts threw his mobile phone at his elderly victim after offending her with a "rude" remark.
The 36-year-old, who lost control when he was asked to stop smoking in the bar, went on a homophobic rant and made threats to officers.
Coutts appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted to assaulting the woman at the Glasgow Road establishment on September 23, 2024.
He also pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner as he was led away in handcuffs from the hotel.
The court heard that Coutts was intoxicated and caused a scene after being told not to smoke indoors.
He then turned his attention to the elderly woman, whom he had engaged in conversation with after she told him he had too much to drink and suggested he go to bed.
Coutts removed his phone from his pocket and threw it at her, hitting her on the shoulder, though she was not injured but was frightened enough to contact police.
When officers arrived, Coutts, who still smelled of alcohol and was slurring, began shouting abuse at police officers, calling one a "f***ing poofter" and threatening to find them off-duty and stab them.
Sheriff Andrew Berry placed Coutts on supervision for a year and ordered him to engage with alcohol counselling services, indicating this support might help prevent future incidents.
