Solicitor forced to apologise for client's 'off the scale bizarre behaviour at Falkirk Sheriff Court

Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, Conner McClure, 27, had previously pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour – preventing customers from leaving the shop until he had requested money from them – at Spar, Newhouse Road, Grangemouth, on August 5.

He also admitted behaving in a threatening manner towards his neighbour in Evans Street, Larbert, on August 30.

At a previous appearance the court heard McClure had gone into the shop to buy alcohol but did not have enough money, so he started asking other customers in the shop for some cash.

Later that month McClure was standing outside and shouting “this is my street”, calling a resident a “grass”.

At the time Sheriff Christopher Shead placed McClure on a supervised community payback order for two years with the condition he complete 120 hours unpaid work within 12 months.

It was stated McClure was “a nuisance” when he had a “drink in him”, but his antics in court last Thursday took things to a new level, according his legal representative.

Not present in court for some of the morning, when he did make an appearance, McClure could be heard loudly talking to others present in court one.

After a break in the morning’s proceedings – while Sheriff Alison Michie was off the bench – McClure came storming into the court, went into the dock and promptly sat down.

His solicitor John Mulholland had to tell him “not yet” and get him to leave.

When the court recommenced Mr Mulholland said: “I have concerns today about his presentation and would ask for a psychiatric report to be carried out. He has been bad before but his conduct today is off the scale.”

Sheriff Michie had to tell McClure, 26 Evans Street, Larbert, to be quiet on one occasion.

She told Mr Mulholland: “His demeanour in court today has drawn everyone’s attention to him.”

Due to McClure’s behaviour towards social workers, Sheriff Michie found him in breach of his existing community payback order and revoked it. She deferred sentence on him until March 2 for a psychiatric report and released him on bail until that date.