Stirling Council worker cleared of bin row charges
A Stirling Council officer has been cleared of threatening a homeowner with a tool used to check people's bins.
Graham Vincent, 52, got into an argument with Brian Wilson while checking Mr Wilson's recycling bin for "contaminated" items.
Mr Wilson, 59, of Wallace Crescent in Plean, claimed Mr Vincent had waved the tool in a "bullying" manner.
But a sheriff found him not guilty and questioned the credibility of Mr Wilson's evidence.
The worker was checking the bins after being made aware that a house in the crescent had been putting metal and plastic into a cardboard and garden waste recycling bin.
Mr Vincent, of Ochre Crescent in Cowie, had denied conducting himself in a disorderly manner and committing a breach of the peace, and using the compost aerator tool as an offensive weapon.
After the hearing at Stirling Sheriff Court, Sheriff Colin McClory said: "Mr Wilson was a difficult witness who got very excitable about what was happening.
"There is evidence that Vincent had the compost aerator in his hand, but in my view I couldn't say it has been proved he was using this as an offensive weapon.
"I'm also not convinced that at its height this could this could be seen as a breach of the peace. I have reasonable doubt in my mind and you're found not guilty."