A VALE man lost his temper with his partner after she threw away his bottle of Buckfast, a court has heard.

Scott Morrison smashed windows, tables and other household items at the couple's home in Davidson Road, Alexandria.

Morrison's partner told him she didn't want him looking after their children while he was drunk – and after finding him with the bottle of Buckfast, she told police of her concern that he was “loopy” on the drink.

Morrison, who had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court for sentencing on August 25, when prosecutor Tom Bowman described an incident which began at the couple's Davidson Road home at 6am on May 28.

Mr Bowman told the court Morrison had drunk four cans of lager the night before the outburst, and had gone to sleep before waking up early and consuming another two cans.

Morrison's partner awoke later that day and saw he wasn't at home; on going out to look for him, she found him standing with friends and holding a carrier bag with the bottle in it.

“She removed the bottle and put it in a nearby bin,” Mr Bowman said, “and later told police he was loopy on Buckfast.

“The accused took umbrage at this; they walked back to the locus and an argument ensued.

“She told the accused she didn't want him drinking Buckfast while looking after their children alone.”

The couple's five children were not at home when the incident happened, Mr Bowman said Morrison had smashed two living room windows, destroyed a table and thrown various items around the house before asking his partner to call police to calm him down.

Morrison's partner then phoned first his mother and then her own mother, and it was the latter who called police because, in Mr Bowman's words, she “heard her hysterically crying, and could hear the accused in the background, shouting and swearing, and the sound of smashing”.

Morrison made a full admission to police about his behaviour, and when asked to explain his outburst, said: “Just a breakdown.”

Gail Campbell, defending, told the court Morrison had taken steps off his own back to deal with his problems, and that his partner was supportive of him, while not condoning his behaviour.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry told Morrison: “I suspect, and hope, you are totally ashamed of yourself. That sort of behaviour is intolerable and unacceptable, and it's wholly to your partner's credit that she has accepted you back into the family home.”

Deferring sentence for four months for Morrison to be of good behaviour, the sheriff added: “If you are doing well you can expect to retain your liberty. But if you commit another offence – particularly a similar offence involving your partner – you can expect to go to prison.”