A HELENSBURGH man who repeatedly struck a car windscreen following an argument with his former partner has been slammed for behaving "like an impulsive teenager".

Jamie Carlin caused a large crack in the windscreen of the vehicle after the row inside the car in January.

A sheriff told the 33-year-old he had thrown a “childish tantrum” in the incident near his home in Malcolm Place.

But the 33-year-old’s solicitor told Dumbarton Sheriff Court that police had only been told about the incident some weeks later after Carlin’s ex found out he had started seeing someone else.

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Meghan Glancey, prosecuting, told a hearing on March 22: “The accused and the complainer had been in an on-off relationship for three and a half years.

“Some time between January 21 and January 24 the accused and complainer were in a car together.

“An argument ensued in which the accused began to shout and swear at the complainer.

“He began striking the windshield, causing a large crack in the middle of it.

“The accused left the car and shouted “f*** you, I smashed it”.

“The accused was traced on February 18. He said ‘right, I did it, but there was already a small crack, I just made it bigger’.”

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Carlin was taken into police custody and brought to court in handcuffs the next day.

Judith Reid, defending, said: “It’s my understanding that this wasn’t reported to the police by the complainer until February 18.

“He accepts he behaved in this way.

“He had started seeing somebody else; the complainer found out about this, and then reported the matter to police.

“He accepts the relationship is over. He also tells me he has paid £145 to the complainer’s father for the windscreen to be fixed. I understand it was fixed some time ago.”

Ms Reid said her client’s record included convictions of a similar nature in the English court system, and added: “While he seems to have positive aspects to his life, it is concerning that this kind of behaviour is continuing.”

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Sheriff John Hamilton told Carlin: “It’s clear from your record that you, in certain circumstances, have a particularly short temper.

“At the age of 33 you are acting like a badly-behaved, impulsive teenager. By your age you should be able to deal with issues such as this like an adult and not throw childish tantrums.”

Carlin was put under social workers’ supervision for 12 months and was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work by mid-December.