THROWING a garden ornament and trying to make a police officer fall down a flight of stairs has landed a Tranent man in court.

Paul Farrell, 37, sent his partner threatening messages over social media and attended at her home in Bilston, Midlothian, without an invitation, repeatedly striking the front door with his hands.

Farrell also shouted, swore and refused to leave the area when asked to do so before throwing a garden ornament to the ground and breaking it on April 24.

The police were alerted to the disturbance and attended, before Farrell went on to assault PC Stacey McCaig by pushing away from a set of stairs in an attempt to make the constable lose her balance and fall down the flight of stairs.

Farrell was arrested and, during the journey to St Leonard’s Police Station in Edinburgh, he repeatedly shouted, swore and made offensive remarks towards police officers.

Farrell pleaded guilty to four offences during a hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court earlier this year and was back in the dock for sentencing last week.

Farrell, of High Street, was placed under the supervision of the social work department for the next 24 months and told he must complete 192 hours of unpaid work as punishment.