Custodial sentence for man who cut car cables

Nov 14 2008 Strathearn Herald

AN electrician who harboured a grudge against a Perthshire couple over money he felt he was owed cut the brake and power steering cables on their two Mercedes cars.

Perth Sheriff Court was told that Morag McLean, of Lawhill Farm Cottages, Trinity Gask, was unaware of the danger as she set off on a 10-mile drive in one of the vehicles.

Forty-five-year-old Andrew Small, whose vendetta included severing the phone and satellite TV cables at their home and stealing hundreds of pounds worth of tools, cost him an eight-month jail sentence last week.

Small admitted stealing two drills, a jig saw, a grinder, a box of tools and a socket set from the cottage at Trinity Gask between May 1 and 5 this year.

He also admitted culpably and recklessly cutting the cables to the cars on October 2 or 3, causing the brake fluid to leak and the brakes to fail, causing danger and alarm to Morag McLean.

The cable cutting incident to the phone and television took place over the same period.

A not guilty plea to putting a threatening message through the letter box on July 29, to the fear and alarm of Allan Murray, was accepted.

Small also denied that on August 8, he sent offensive messages to Mr Murray in which he repeatedly swore at him.

That not guilty plea was also accepted.

Depute fiscal Robbie Brown said that the complainers had work carried out by a contractor who had used Mr Small as a sub-contractor.

The accused thought he was due money, although that was in no way the fault of the complainers, and he appeared to have developed a “grudge.”

On October 3, the lady had driven her car away from her home but only got as far as the gate when she discovered the brakes weren’t working properly.

She had to pump them several times to bring the car to a halt. She then took her partner’s car to drive into Auchterarder but the brake light became illuminated during the journey.

She went to a garage where the brake fluid was topped up.

“On the way home, the brake fluid light came on again,” added Mr Brown.

“When she got home, she noticed the TV and telephone cables had been cut. And when she looked under the car, it appeared that the brake cables had also been cut.”

Solicitor Billy Somerville said that Small had been suffering from depression and urged the Sheriff to consider a community-based sentence.

But Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said: “I don’t think there’s any other option than to impose a custodial sentence.