Excrement curry wife admonished

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A woman has been admonished after she admitted feeding her estranged husband a curry containing dog excrement.

Jill Martin, 47, pleaded guilty at Paisley Sheriff Court to culpable and reckless conduct against her husband Donald Martin in Newton Mearns.

Sheriff Susan Sinclair said her behaviour could have resulted in "extremely unpleasant consequences".

Defence solicitor Terry Gallanagh described the background as being "akin to an episode of Desperate Housewives".

Depute fiscal Margaret Dunnipace said that Mr Martin had prepared the curry and Mrs Martin laced the dish with excrement.

Mrs Dunnipace said after placing the dinner in front of her husband and watching him start to eat it, Mrs Martin burst out laughing before confessing.

'Mental abuse'

When she appeared in court from custody in March, defence agent Charlie McCusker said the couple had been married for 21 years and the relationship had gone "completely off the rails".

Mr Gallanagh, also defending, said his client had endured "continued mental abuse" over a period of around five years which had taken its toll.

It was now accepted, he said, that the relationship had broken down and divorce proceedings were under way.

Sheriff Susan Sinclair said she accepted there had been a background which had led her to act in the manner described.

"That does not take anything away from the fact that these charges are serious," she said.

"The explanation given relates to marital difficulties and drink.

"You spent a night in the cells because of this and as you have taken steps to sort out your difficulties, I am prepared to admonish you."