A Wick man who was jailed for a violent assault on his ex-girlfriend has escaped a further term for making a threat days earlier.
Alexander Macalpine, 27, was unhappy that Nadine Devine had started a new relationship and was overheard to say he would assault her and “break her ankles”.
The remarks, made at the accused’s home on Battery Road, Wick, on November 14 last year, caused “fear and alarm” and were reported to the police and Macalpine was charged.
He admitted threatening behaviour and accepted the offer of a non-custodial sentence by Sheriff Andrew Berry.
Under it, Macalpine will carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and will be under supervision for 18 months.
In addition he will be subject to a non-domestic violence respect programme.
The sentences will start at the end of March, after Macalpine completes a current jail term.
Solicitor Fiona Macdonald said that the threatened assault was the result of Macalpine’s struggle to deal with the break-up of his relationship with her and he accepted “he should not have said such things”.
Sheriff Berry, who saw a background report, observed that the remarks were made almost a fortnight before the accused attacked Ms Devine, 26, and her new boyfriend, in the bedroom of her home in Cairndhuna Terrace, Wick.
Macalpine denied the assault and abusive behaviour but was found guilty after a trial and jailed for a year, on October 14.
He barged into the house and left the couple battered and bruised after a frenzied attack with a table leg.
Sheriff Berry said: “I would have been perfectly entitled to impose a nine months sentence to run consecutively with your current term.
“Being drug and alcohol free you will be able to focus on good behaviour.
“You can regard it as an opportunity to make a fresh start when you are released.”