A GALASHIELS man who assaulted two women, including his partner on two occasions, has been ordered to pay a total of £495 at Selkirk Sheriff Court.
Twenty-six-year-old Alan Lambert, formerly known as Pearson, pushed a woman and caused her to fall to the ground to her injury in Glenburn Avenue, Newtown St Boswells, on June 14 last year.
He was released on bail with instructions not to contact the woman.
But in April, Lambert was at a drinks party in Tulley Court, Galashiels, where the named woman was with a friend and he ended up assaulting both women.
At one stage, during the early hours of April 7, both women locked themselves in a vehicle and were tooting the horn because they were scared Lambert was going to attack them again.
Lambert pleaded guilty at Selkirk Sheriff Court on Thursday to three assault charges and breaching a bail order.
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Starting with the first incident last June, depute fiscal Miriam Clark said Lambert and the complainer had been in a relationship for around 18 months.
At around 7pm there was loud music coming from a property in Glenburn Avenue with people coming and going.
The fiscal said: “The accused attended and got into a verbal altercation. He left the property and walked along the road and was followed by [the woman].
“He pushed her to the ground four times and suffered injuries. She returned to the address distressed with Mr Lambert still in the road. The police arrived and he was cautioned and charged and held in custody to appear the following day at Edinburgh Sheriff Court where he was released on bail with a special condition not to contact the complainer.”
Ms Clark then described the events which started on April 6 when the woman was drinking alcohol with a friend in Tulley Court, Galashiels.
At around 6pm they were in contact with Lambert who said he was coming over to join them.
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But at 1.15am an argument started due to Lambert’s level of intoxication and he was asked by both women to leave.
The friend tried to usher him out the property and a struggle developed.
A neighbour could hear a female shouting “leave me alone” and appeared to be upset as Lambert made his way along Currie Road.
But he returned soon after and was found hiding in a cupboard in the stairwell of the flats in Tulley Court and again he was asked to leave. Another struggle developed during which Lambert struck his partner’s friend in the face with a training shoe before she fell in the bush.
Ms Clark added: “Both women then fled towards [Lambert’s partner’s] parked car. They entered the vehicle and tried to shut the door. But at that point the accused struck [his partner] across the face with his hand after he had followed them. They then locked themselves into the vehicle and sounded the car horn for assistance.”
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The fiscal said a male neighbour came out and said both women appeared distressed and he stayed with them until the police arrived.
When officers arrived Lambert was again found in the common stairwell of the property in Tulley Court and he was arrested and taken to St Leonards Police Station in Edinburgh.
Defence lawyer Mat Patrick described Lambert’s partner’s behaviour on both occasions as “highly erratic” but accepted it did not get away from the fact his client committed the offences.
He described the relationship as a “highly toxic one” but said Lambert was planning to leave the area and had been offered employment in the Glasgow area.
Sheriff Adrian Cottam said Lambert’s drunken behaviour was unacceptable but added that the break-up and the imposition of a non-harassment order would be the best for both parties.
He ordered Lambert, of Halliburton Place, Galashiels, to pay £200 compensation to his partner for the first assault and fined him £185 for the breach of the bail order.
Another compensation order of £100 was made in favour of the partner’s friend. A £10 victim surcharge was imposed making the total bill £495.
Sheriff Cottam also made a two-year non-harassment order which means Lambert cannot contact the woman by any means and he has been ordered to stay out of a named street in Newtown St Boswells.
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