A SHERIFF has warned a Cowdenbeath man to stop drinking Buckfast after abusing his wife.

Sheriff Alastair Brown said Michael Kelly had a "serious problem".

Kelly, 43, of no fixed abode, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing.

He previously admitted that on October 4, at an address in Cowdenbeath, he assaulted his partner, pushed her on the body, seized her by the body and threw a mobile phone at her.

Depute fiscal, Laura McManus, explained how the two parties were married and they shared a home at the time of the incident.

"There was an argument that occurred," she said.

"The accused pushed the witness and put her hands beside her body.

"She pushed him away and he threw a mobile phone towards her but it missed her."

Defence solicitor, Roshni Joshi, said: "Mr Kelly has been attending alcoholics anonymous and has not touched drink.

"He has a record but has not be in trouble since 2015.

"The reason the incident escalated was because he had been drinking Buckfast.

"He is keen to go back to the family and his wife."

Sheriff Alastair Brown said: "It appears from the report that you have a Buckfast habit.

"Buckfast is strong, it contains caffeine so it makes you agitated and it's sweet so it is easy to drink a lot of it.

"It is associated with a significant amount of violence.

"In my experience its led on numerous occasions to assaults.

"If you are drinking Buckfast at that rate you have a serious problem."

Kelly was sentenced with 100 hours of unpaid work.