Sheriff warns: “This feud has got to end”

A feud between families in Ballingry resulted in a house being vandalised with a golf club on Christmas Eve.

Brian Donnelly (32), of Kirkland Avenue, Ballingry, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court after causing a disturbance in the early hours.

He admitted that on 24th December last year at Kirkland Avenue he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing, uttering threats of violence, brandishing a golf club, striking a door and damaging it.

Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said there was bad feeling between near neighbours and this had led to an altercation in which the accused sustained a facial injury.

He later responded by going to the home of the grandparents of the man he blamed for the incident.

Sheriff Robert Dickson (pictured) told Donnelly, “This nonsense has got to stop or else somebody is going to get hurt.

“This isn’t the way to sort out problems, it really isn’t. This feud has got to end. If they’re being aggressive towards you, report it to be the police and let them deal with it.

“What you don’t do is go to the grandparents’ house at 2.20 in the morning and wake them up by shouting and yelling then damaging the door with a golf club.”

The sheriff fined Donnelly £400.