Langlees lout smashed child's bedroom window with paving slab

Appearing from custody via video link at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Thursday, Darren Murray, 20, had pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour on September 26 last year and recklessly damaging property – throwing a slab through a child’s bedroom window – at an address in Cobblebrae Crescent, Langlees on September 25, 2022.

Procurator fiscal depute Amy Sneddon said: “The witnesses were within the address and the accused was outside. He then threw a paving slab through a child’s bedroom window, causing it to smash.

"The cost of the damage was £200. Police were contacted and attended.”

The following day the complainer, who was now in hiding at another address, was contacted by a neighbour to say Murray had returned.

“The accused returned and was making threats to burn the house down,” said the procurator fiscal depute. “He had sent messages from his Facebook to their

Facebook making threats like ‘sleep with one eye open’, ‘Langlees park the morra, then we see who the big man is’ and ‘enjoy your last day out of hospital’.”

Gordon Addison, defence solicitor, said Murray was “making very bad decision and getting himself into trouble’.

Sheriff Craig Harris said there had been concern in the past Murray was “spinning out of control” and he now found himself remanded in custody on another matter.

He sentenced Murray, 133 Seaforth Road, Langlees, to 57 days of detention to run alongside his current sentence.