A DUNFERMLINE carer smashed up his grandmother’s home and blamed it on the effects of taking diazepam.

Michael McCallum, who lives with his disabled relative, became enraged after arguing with a stranger who came to the door.

He then began trashing the house, pushing the TV over and punching a door, leaving his gran so frightened she had to leave to seek help.

McCallum, 23, of Burns Street, previously admitted that on June 23 he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear or alarm by shouting, swearing, acting in an aggressive manner, overturning items of furniture and a television and throwing household items and food items.

He also damaged property belonging to another by punching and kicking a door and throwing a mobile phone.

Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard that McCallum is his grandmother’s carer and had lived with her since the age of 13. He kicked off around 5.20pm, when there was a knock at the door and an unknown man asked about him.

The pair started shouting and the gran heard the accused saying: “You won’t get away with it.”

When she next saw her grandson, he was upset and angry.

He knocked over a table on the landing of the stairs and started to shout and swear. He overturned furniture and his frightened grandmother asked him to stop but he continued to act aggressively.

When she tried to call her daughter he took her phone. The woman was so fearful that she left her house to phone the police.

Officers found her upset, shaking and frightened when they arrived at the scene. Police saw furniture smashed, items strewn across the floor and smashed eggs.

The estimated cost of the damage was £250.

Defence solicitor Elaine Buist said McCallum was a first-time offender and added: “He believes his behaviour was likely caused by taking diazepam which is something he had never taken before. He was quite shocked by the way he behaved.

"I think there was some ill feeling between himself and the man because of a previous relationship.”

Sheriff Charles Macnair said: “This was a dreadful incident and it caused your grandmother considerable alarm. Of course, there was also the physical damage you caused.”

Sentence was deferred for six months for good behaviour.

McCallum will also have to provide vouching on January 23 that he has contributed to the cost of the damage.