Cromdale farmer rowed with wife because of flooding fears

A Cromdale farmer shouted abuse at his wife because he was under stress and feared for the safety of his livestock as the River Spey burst its banks, it was claimed at Inverness Sheriff Court.

Andrew Falconer appeared from custody still in his overalls today (Wednesday) after days of torrential rain had lashed the area.

Inverness Sheriff Court heard the 44-year-old, of Pollowick Farm told his wife to leave the house in the middle of the night during the middle of a downpour.

Depute fiscal Laura Ryan said she understood the couple had taken alcohol and Mrs Falconer went to bed and when he went to bed at 4am on Tuesday he began shouting and swearing at her and told her to leave.

"She went outside and phoned her 15-year-old son who was in inside the house in bed and he took her back into the house."

Ms Ryan said the abuse resumed. The police had been called and Falconer left the property. A dog search team had been called but Falconer turned up at 6.30am and he was arrested.

Falconer admitted today (Wednesday) to shouting and swearing and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.

His solicitor Marc Dickson told the court the family farm was on a flood plain and they had suffered flooding several years ago.

He said Falconer and his family had spent the entire day moving livestock to prevent them being stranded by the flooding.

"Tensions were running high because of the risk and he didn’t want to go through what they had been through before," said Mr Dickson.

The solicitor said Falconer, who have never been in trouble before, had got back to the house late in the evening.

His wife, he said, was an accounts clerk and was on holiday and they had a drink in the house which was not something they would normally do.

Mr Dickson said there had been a degree of bickering about a family member and it surfaced again about 4am.

"She desperately wants him back," Mr Dickson told the court.

Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood told Falconer: "You behaved like a criminal."

He deferred sentence for good behaviour until May 14 next year.

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