A DUMBARTON man smashed a window and TV set while wielding a baseball bat at his family's home in the town.

James Nugent's mother was awoken at the Westcliff property in the early hours of December 18 last year by the sound of her son entering and leaving her bedroom while shouting and swearing.

Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard this week that 26-year-Nugent continued his rant when he went to his own room, and that other family members were woken up before Nugent was seen picking up the baseball bat and smashing his bedroom window and TV set.

Nugent's mother tried to calm him down, but was unable to do so, and she contacted police at 2.10am – some 40 minutes after the incident kicked off.

Nugent eventually put down the bat when officers told him to do so, but he continued to shout and swear and was arrested and taken to Clydebank police station.

Fiscal depute Jeanette Maclean told the court that when he was cautioned and charged, Nugent had told police: “It doesn't matter what I say as my mum won't turn up in court.”

Nugent appeared in court for sentencing on September 22 after pleading guilty at a previous hearing to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.

His plea of not guilty to a charge of resisting or obstructing four police officers called to deal with him was accepted by the Crown.

Nugent's solicitor, Ms McGinty, said the offence was the result of a “slip-up” in his attempts to tackle his alcohol and drug misuse.

Ms McGinty said a report on Nugent's progress with a previous community payback order contained “nothing negative whatsoever” and produced a letter from her client apologising to the court for his behaviour.

Sentence was deferred for reports.