DRUNK XMAS PARTY ROW LANDS MAN IN COURT
2014- A drunken Christmas works night out ended in violence for one Borders family after a 31-year-old man admitted assaulting his wife during a furious row.Neil McKenna appeared at Selkirk Sheriff Court accused of attacking his partner at their home at The Glebe in Ancrum following a heavy drinking session.
The court heard McKenna had spent Sunday evening at Kelso Races before returning home intoxicated, where an argument broke out.
Prosecutors said the situation escalated after the couple’s young child began screaming.
McKenna allegedly pushed his wife against a bannister before she went upstairs to calm the child.
But the confrontation continued moments later when she returned downstairs.
Fiscal Tessa Bradley told the court McKenna then knocked his wife to the ground and dragged her along the floor by her ponytail.
The frightened woman told the court he later pinned her against a wall and allegedly threatened to kill her.
She said she feared he was about to arm himself with a knife after he went into the kitchen and began opening cupboards.
Police were called to the property, but by the time officers arrived McKenna had gone into the garden while his wife locked all the doors.
Officers noted she had suffered injuries including a small cut to her lip and carpet burns to her elbow.
Defence lawyer Heather Stewart told the court McKenna had consumed a large amount of alcohol and claimed the behaviour was completely out of character.
She said her client was shocked and remorseful about what had happened and even wondered whether his drink may have been spiked.
Sheriff Michael Wood deferred sentence for four weeks to allow background reports to be prepared.
As part of his bail conditions, McKenna has been ordered to stay away from the family home until the next hearing.
He will instead stay with relatives in Manderston, near Duns, while the case returns to court.
