Prison warning for Wick abuser who breached bail twice in a week

A Wick man who breached a bail order for the second time in a week was warned the consequences of a further repeat would be a jail term.

Alan Barton (55) appeared from custody at Wick Sheriff Court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to having behaved in a threatening and abusive manner towards his partner, and the breach.

The court heard that the abuse occurred while Barton was travelling from Halkirk to Wick, on February 10 with his partner.

Fiscal depute Grant Maclennan said that the accused, who had been drinking, “directed insults at her and threatened to kill her”.

The incident was reported to the police who called on Barton and cautioned and charged him.

Sheriff Neil Wilson, who noted that Barton, of Barrogill Street, Wick, had breached his bail on March 25 and 31 by contacting the woman through social media, warned him: “Do it again and you will go to prison for four weeks.”

The case was continued to April 30 for a background report.