'Where's my dogs?': Falkirk sheriff jails offender for making threatening phone call

Christopher McTaggart, 41, was so worried about the whereabouts of his dogs he phoned up his former partner’s sister and began shouting and swearing at her

McTaggart appeared from custody via video link at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour towards a woman at an address in Ivybank Court, Polmont on April 25 last year.

Procurator fiscal depute Melissa Phillips said: “The complainer knows the accused – she is the sister of his long-term partner. She was asleep in her bed when she was awoken by a phone call. She saw it was from the accused’s mother.

"The witness recognised the voice of the accused, who was intoxicated. He swore and asked ‘where’s my dogs’. She told him she didn’t have his dogs. He told her ‘I’ll be getting my dogs back – I’ll be coming for them, they’re my boys’.”

It was stated McTaggart initially told police he did not have a phone when they asked him if he made the threatening call.

Lynn Swan, defence solicitor, said: “I was concerned about where his dogs were taken to. They seemed to have been taken to another family member. He was heavily under the influence of alcohol at the time.”

The court heard McTaggart, 2a Hughfield Road, Mauchline, Ayrshire was currently in custody for another matter and was awaiting trial in January 2024.

Sheriff Simon Collins sentenced him to 10 weeks in prison.