Hammer and golf club-wielding Falkirk offender threatened to kill his landlord

Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, Ioan Gutu, 41, had pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening manner – making violent threats while in possession of a hammer and a golf club – at an address in Victoria Road, Falkirk on November 2, 2021.

At a previous court appearance it was stated Gutu’s landlords asked him to leave his flat and Gutu then “retreated within the property and picked up a hammer and an iron golf club, shouting ‘get out, I’m going to kill you’.”

Last Thursday the court heard Gutu had completed 21 hours of his unpaid work, but had missed appointments due to sickness and being late.

Sheriff Simon Collins said Gutu’s review report did not make for good reading.

Addressing Gutu, Sheriff Collins said: “This is not optional, you have to prioritise this and if you fail to attend for work without a good excuse I would expect a breach report to be submitted. This order was imposed in December and as of mid-February you had only done nine hours.

"I’m pleased to hear you have done some more hours in the meantime – you have to continue that progress. If you don’t engage with this order and get the hours of work done, you’re liable to go to prison.”

Sheriff Collins deferred sentence on Gutu, Flat 4/2 Castings Hostel, Castings Avenue, Falkirk, to April 20 for a community payback order review.