Man cleared of ‘terrifying’ wife with a spider

A MAN accused of terrifying his wife with a spider - knowing she had arachnophobia - was cleared of the charge today after it was dropped.

Most tarantulas are not dangerous to humans. Picture: JP

Grant Ewing, 26, who appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court facing three charges, was alleged to have behaved in a threatening or abusive manner which was likely to cause fear and alarm to Louise Ewing, with the eight legged arachnid at an address in West Lothian, over a five month period.

However, the crown dropped the allegation - along with another - after accepting Ewing’s plea of guilty to an amended second charge, that between March 1 2011 and March 31 2011, at an address in Princes Street, California, near Falkirk, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner that was likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm “in that you did shout, swear and utter threats.”

Katherine Fabian, defending, told the court that Ewing, now of Hopetoun Street, Bathgate, has separated from his wife but still has regular contact with their three children.

Sheriff Robert Vaughan deferred sentencing until July 23, 2015 to obtain background reports.

Sheriff Vaughan said: “I am going to order a criminal justice social work report.”

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• Man ‘terrified wife with tarantula spider’