A former bookmaker's clerk was today facing jail after threatening to torch to his ex-partner's home.
Keiren Jenkins told Alana Forsyth: "Better not scream too loud when the house is in flames."
Falkirk Sheriff Court heard that Jenkins, 25, had earlier told Alana he would "petrol bomb" the property.
The threats were made in a phone call to her at her home in Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, on September 27th (2021), the court heard.
Prosecutor Ann Orr said: "The comment about 'better not scream too loud when the house is in flames' seems to stem from an argument about contact with a child.
"The accused was apparently under the influence of alcohol at the time of making the calls.
"He seems to have made a comment on the lines of, if she prevented him from seeing the child, he'd petrol bomb her house, and after that there was a subsequent call.
"Initially there was no contact with the police because his partner believed these were simply empty threats, but having spoken to her solicitor she made a formal complaint."
Appearing in answer to an undertaking, Jenkins, formerly of Grangemouth, now of Carluke, Lanarkshire, pleaded guilty to making threats of violence towards Alana -- a charge of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner.
Solicitor-advocate Ross Yuill, defending, said Jenkins and Alana had separated about three months ago, having been together "for a number of years".
Mr Yuill said: "He left to live with his father after the relationship broke down.
"He had taken drink, and he was incredibly frustrated with the situation. They were having phone calls back and forth and he wasn't getting anywhere. He doesn't have an absolutely clear recollection of what he said in the course of his frustration and anger."
Mr Yuill said Jenkins had also lost his job as a result of the breakdown of the relationship, as it was not possible for him to travel "the fair distance" from Carluke in time to get to his former work at a bookmaker's in Grangemouth.
Sheriff Derek Livingston deferred sentence until December 2nd for a criminal justice social work report to assess "safety and risk factors". He also called for a restriction of liberty assessment order.
He told Mr Yuill: "I cannot really take it lightly that your client made a threat to petrol bomb a house. I appreciate he may have had no intention of carrying it through, but it's a bad threat."
Jenkins was released on bail, with special conditions not to contact Alana, or enter her street.
