AN OAKLEY man has escaped a prison sentence despite assaulting a man, drink-driving and repeatedly breaching a community payback order.

At Dunfermline Sheriff Court, James Bingham’s solicitor said his client’s life had gone off the rails following the breakdown of a relationship, he also lost his employment and fell out with his mother.

Bingham, 27, of Station Road, Oakley, previously admitted that on February 8, 2016, he assaulted a man by punching him in the face to his injury.

Having been charged, he then failed to appear in court on September 8, 2016 without reasonable excuse.

Bingham also admitted that on February 10, 2017 at Torridon Place, Rosyth, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear or alarm by shouting, swearing and acting in an aggressive manner.

And on July 30, 2017, at Burt Street, Wellwood, he drove after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it on his breath was 68 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 22 microgrammes.

He also reversed along the road and collided with two parked cars, and drove without insurance.

Bingham admitted that, after being granted bail on October 11, 2017, on the condition that he remained in his home between 7pm and 7am, he did not comply on November 10.

And, after being granted bail on October 23, 2017, he failed to appear in court on January 25 and May 14, 2018 and entered an address in Rosyth where he was not allowed.

And on December 2, 2017 at Linton Place, Rosyth, he resisted and obstructed police officers in the execution of their duty by running away and struggling with them.

Defence solicitor Alexander Flett said: “He has stuck his head in the sand on these matters, but his circumstances have now improved.”

He said Bingham was back in work and in a stable relationship.

Sheriff Craig McSherry said he was persuaded not to send Bingham to prison and allowed him to continue his community payback order. He also imposed 210 hours of unpaid work.