Bottled it: Falkirk offender who hit man with Baileys Irish Cream bottle fails to turn up at court

Dion O’Donnell, 20, failed to appear at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having pleaded guilty to a number of offences, including assaults which saw him bite a woman’s arm and hit a man over the head with a Baileys Irish Cream bottle at an address in Wallace Street, Falkirk on January 1.

He also admitted possession of an offensive weapon – a knife – in New Carron Road, Carron, on March 23.

At a previous appearance it was stated the witnesses were in their address over the festive period having drinks. It was 2.30am and they were all consuming alcohol.

O’Donnell became extremely vocal and refused to calm down and had to be “ushered out of the room”. During this time he bit a woman on the arm, before picking up a bottle of Baileys Irish Cream and striking a man to the crown of his head with it.

The man sustained a two-inch laceration to his head, but did not lose consciousness.

O’Donnell later told police: “I just ****ing bottled him – I’ve hurt him, I’ve hurt him bad officer.”

On another occasion O’Donnell was searched by police officers while he was out and about and found to be carrying an eight-and-a-half inch long kitchen knife in the waistband of his trousers.

At the time the court heard O’Donnell, who was said to suffer from PTSD, ADHD and autism, had been assaulted while in custody down in England.

He had appeared at Harrow Crown Court facing charges of GBH – grievous bodily harm – and had been sent to detention for 12 months.

Earlier in the year Sheriff Christopher Shead placed O’Donnell, address listed as 33 Wallace Street, Falkirk, on a community payback order with the condition he complete 120 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months.

However, last Thursday, he failed to turn up for his court appointment and there was no excuse for his absence.

Sheriff Craig Harris issued a warrant for O’Donnell’s arrest.