A DUNFERMLINE man drove his car when almost five times over the limit after a row in his home with his partner.

Connor Balfour admitted committing an offence against his partner but had denied he then got behind the wheel and drove off.

However, he was found guilty of that charge as well, after a trial at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

The offences occurred after the couple returned home following a night out in Edinburgh, just before Christmas.

Balfour, 24, of North Urquhart Place, admitted that on December 15, at his home, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting and swearing at his partner, struggled with her in an attempt to take her phone and made a threat of violence towards her.

He was found guilty of a second charge that on December 16, at North Urquhart Place, he drove a car having consumed excess alcohol. His reading was 109 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 22 microgrammes.

The trial heard that the couple are still together.

His partner told the court that she had seen her partner drive his car away from their home following the initial incident and then return shortly afterwards.

Police had been called to the scene and found Balfour behind the wheel.

In his evidence, Balfour said his partner must have been mistaken about seeing him driving and that both of them had been drinking that night.

Sheriff Charles MacNair, delivering a guilty verdict on that charge, told Balfour: “I find that she was telling the truth and consequently you were not telling the truth.”

Depute fiscal Alistair McDermid said of the first charge: “They had been out drinking in Edinburgh. When they returned home, there was an argument over taxi money.

“She got some spare bedding and put it on the stairs, saying he was sleeping on the couch.

“He told her: ‘I pay the bills and mortgage. I’ll decide where I sleep’.

He then threatened to put Christmas presents out in the street unless she changed her attitude, the court was told.

The argument escalated and became a physical struggle with Balfour saying: “Give me the phone or I’ll f****** kill you” before leaving the house.

Sheriff Charles MacNair called for reports and Balfour will be sentenced on May 30.