Man, 35, posted burning paper in pensioner's letter box

Dean Knowles also admitted a series of other offences – including destroying the 78-year-old woman's hanging basket and plant pots in Ettrick Road, Selkirk, in May last year.

Jedburgh Sheriff Court was told the pensioner was sitting in her living room when she smelled burning and went to investigate.

She found a small piece of brown paper smoking in her vestibule and the accused standing outside, before raising the alarm.

Knowles – who gave an address in Selkirk – also repeatedly punched a female police officer on the head and body, and punched a male officer on the head, in Galashiels later that year, while threatening to throw acid over another woman's head during a series of threatening messages over social media, between June last year and February this year.

He also pleaded guilty to two counts of wasting police time.

The total prison sentence of 299 days was back-dated to October 31 when he was first taken into custody.