A DUNFERMLINE man who displayed "strange" threatening behaviour towards his partner has appeared in court.

Mark McGuire set fire to paper towels and also walked towards his partner while holding up shoe laces in an abusive manner.

McGuire, 35, of Craigies Farm Cottage, previously admitted that on January 24 and February 10 at his home address, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner which was likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm in that he did repeatedly set fire to a paper towel and throw it on the floor, and moved forwards to his partner while in possession of shoe laces.

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia told Dunfermline Sheriff Court that alcohol had been consumed on January 24 and McGuire was heavily under the influence.

The strange behaviour started when the accused woke up and started shouting about some house keys.

He then set a paper towel on fire and threw it on the floor, causing his partner to have to stamp the lit item out.

McGuire did the same thing again, causing his partner to be concerned by his behaviour.

A couple of weeks later, on February 10, there was a further incident where the accused had been drinking. There was an issue over his partner's ID card, the court heard.

When she asked him where the card was, he denied any knowledge about it.

There was an argument and the complainer saw McGuire standing with shoe laces in his hand. He then went towards his partner with the shoe laces outstretched.

Defence solicitor Roshni Joshi admitted the circumstances were "somewhat strange" when representing McGuire.

"He appears as a first-time offender and this incident is entirely out of character for him," she said.

"He said, 'I'm quite disgusted by myself', at the police interview.

"There has clearly been a period of cooling off between parties because of the special conditions of bail and they intend to reconcile.

"This being very odd behaviour I think is the only way I can describe it and he accepts that he consumed too much alcohol."

Sheriff James MacDonald deferred sentencing for good behaviour until September 2.