Moray man (33) sentenced for "aggressively banging" neighbour's door holding baseball bat
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A MORAY flat resident seen "aggressively banging" the door of a neighbour he believed had "some of his property" – while holding a baseball bat – has been sentenced.
Andrew Donaghie (33) pleaded guilty to the offence, which took place on June 8 at a block of flats at North Port, Elgin.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood sentenced him to a year of social work supervision and 60 hours of unpaid work at Elgin Sheriff Court last Thursday (August 24).
Fiscal Depute Karen Poke said Donaghie, then living in the building, was heard "aggressively banging" on a fellow resident's front door.
She added: "The police attended the locus and heard shouting and banging coming from the block of flats."
Donaghie, the court heard, was "holding a baseball bat at the time", which he "immediately surrendered" to police.
Ms Poke added that he was: "very apologetic".
Stephen Carty, the 33-year-old's solicitor, said his client was "certainly no stranger to the court" but understood that carrying the baseball bat could have made things: “get very ugly very quickly”.
Bringing the bat was “ridiculous and foolhardy”, he added.
Mr Carty said: "Mr Donaghie understood that the complainant had taken some of his property."
Since the incident, the court heard, Donaghie had referred himself to local drug and alcohol charity Arrows, and has been engaging with them.
“Alcohol is a significant issue for him," Mr Carty said.
“I understand, from talking to Mr Donaghie, that he has been free from alcohol for a period of 14 days which, for his record, is significant."
Donaghie, whose address was given in court papers as Beechfield Road, Elgin, pleaded guilty to one charge of acting in a threatening manner that was likely to cause a reasonable person fear and alarm.
Sheriff Fleetwood imposed a Community Payback Order on Donaghie, including 60 hours of unpaid work over six months and supervision by social workers for a year.
