Hamilton couple charged after snowman row

Dec 24 2009 by Gary Fanning, Hamilton Advertiser

A HAMILTON couple were charged by police after a bizarre row with neighbours...over a snowman.

Jacqueline and Derek McGilvray say they were entering into the Christmas spirit when they decided to build a snowman for their eight-year-old son, Taylor, at their home in Eddlewood’s Clydesdale Avenue on Sunday at 7.10pm.

But their actions led to an argument with their neighbours about the snowman who has now been nicknamed ‘Bah Humbug.’

And the McGilvrays were stunned when the police turned up at their door and charged them with breach of the peace.

Neighbour Daniel Reilly (69) also faces a breach of the peace charge.

Self-employed cleaner Jacqueline told the Advertiser: “My son wanted to build a snowman and I agreed to it as we don’t usually get much snow.

“We went to the strip of grass at Quarter Road end and collected a ball of snow which we took home then rolled another ball of snow for our snowman’s head.

“My 13-year-old daughter Abigail, a second-year pupil at Hamilton Grammar, came out to help and we put the head on the snowman.”

Mrs McGilvray then claimed that she was verbally abused by a neighbour.

“We never swore at any time,” she added.

“Then the police came out and charged us with a breach of the peace for building a snowman.

“We still don’t know why we have been charged with a breach of the peace.

“I am embarrassed about it, and I think it is such a waste of police resources.

Taylor, a primary four pupil at Woodside Primary, added: “I thought my mum and dad were going to jail for building a snowman.”

Jacqueline said there has been an ongoing dispute between people in the street for the past eight years.

Mr Reilly, a police officer for 35 years, strongly denies the claims and said Mrs McGilvray’s story is fabricated.

He said: “It’s a lie and nothing to do with a snowball.

“She’s only trying to trivialise it and it is so ludicrous that this is over a snowball.

“The matter has been blown out of all proportions and is damaging my reputation.”

A Hamilton police spokeswoman confirmed that a 69-year-old man, 38-year-old man and 39-year-old woman were all charged with an alleged breach of the peace in connection with the incident in Clydesdale Avenue on Sunday evening.