A MAN was left stunned when he was sent to prison for 10 months.

On Monday (31 March) at Alloa Sheriff Court, Thomas Page (34) was found guilty of behaving in a threatening manner outside an address in Clackmannan’s South Pilmuir Road on 11 December 2012.

Page was convicted of placing those inside the house in a state of fear and alarm by shouting, swearing, uttering threats of violence, brandishing a baseball bat or similar weapon, and smashing up a car.

The accused was said to be acting alongside two other men - who have never been caught.

Defending, Robert Smith claimed there was “no sufficient evidence” to prove Page was at the scene of the crime.

Fiscal depute Gail Russell argued that although there was no direct visual evidence, during the trial one witness testified to recognising Page’s voice shouting and swearing throughout the invasion.

Another Crown witness identified Page with two unknown men on the date of the attack, while a third person said they spotted three males carrying out the offence - implying it was Page and his acquaintances.

One of the men was also seen with a bat or similar implement – to which a baseball bat was recovered from the accused’s house during a police search.

Ms Russell asked for the circumstantial evidence to be considered and cited the case against convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi as reference.

Sheriff Derek O’Carroll was impressed with the fiscal’s effort. He told her, “I admire your diligence.” Sheriff O’Carroll stated that the defence had “no substance whatsoever”. He felt that the wealth of material taken together amounted to sufficient evidence and found Page guilty.

Page was also accused of tendering counterfeit Bank of England £20 notes at Morrisons supermarket in Alloa on 16 December 2012 and at Semichem in Falkirk’s High Street on 22 December 2012.

He was also charged – alongside his partner Michelle McCallum (37) – of tendering fake cash at JD Sports in The Thistles Shopping Centre on 17 December 2012.

Defending McCallum, Stephen Maguire argued that his client handed over money given to her by Page and there was no evidence to suggest she was aware it was counterfeit.

Sheriff O’Carroll agreed and McCallum, of Clackmannan’s Zetland Street, was acquitted due to the lack of evidence.

Defending Page, of Clackmannan’s Backwood Court, Mr Smith also claimed there was no proof to suggest he had any knowledge it was phony as it looked like genuine currency.

Sheriff O’Carroll told Page, “All in all I think you’re probably guilty.” Despite this view the sheriff could not be sure beyond reasonable doubt and therefore found the counterfeit charges against Page not proven.

When sentencing Page for the 11 December 2012 incident, of which he was earlier found guilty, Sheriff O’Carroll described the act as appalling before jailing the 34-year-old for nine months.

Page stood in shock, while his partner McCallum shouted from the gallery, “Paedophiles get less.” The court took a break and on return Page was additionally fined £1300 for the damage caused that night and sentenced to a further month behind bars for a Contempt of Court charge in which he shouted at a witness during his trial.