A 62-YEAR-OLD man has been placed on a night-time curfew after being convicted of a domestic abuse charge.

Alan Grahame will need to stay within his property in Gala Park, Galashiels, between the hours of 7pm and 7am for the next six months.

Following a trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court he was found guilty of engaging in a course of behaviour which was abusive to his partner or ex-partner between April 2019 and April 2022.

Grahame attempted to control the woman’s movements and her friendships, attempted to ascertain her whereabouts by ways of continued phone calls and by checking her mobile phone.

Sentence had been deferred for the production of a criminal justice social work report.

But Sheriff Kathrine Mackie was extremely critical of the report’s author stating the author had taken what was said by Grahame at face value where she had listened to the evidence of the victim and two daughters.

The sheriff said the report – which recommended an admonition or financial penalty – was “less than helpful” and the report author had failed to recognise the seriousness of the offence and had been left with few options.

Sheriff Mackie had considered ordering a fresh report but opted for a restriction of liberty order.