A GRAN who hurled bleach over a child has been granted a personal licence to sell alcohol by licensing chiefs.

Mary McLelland was convicted of throwing the cleaning agent over a 13-year old boy’s head and body in Auchinleck.

Police objected to McLelland getting a personal licence at East Ayrshire Council’s licensing board meeting last week (Wednesday, March 13).

McLelland, 63, of Main Street, Auchinleck carried out the crime in November 2017.

Police Sergeant David Dougan told councillors McLelland was sentenced to a Community Payback Order at Ayr Sheriff Court last year as punishment.

But McLelland said she was plagued by anti-social behaviour outside at her home in Main Street, telling the board: “I love kids. I regret it.”

She claims she has had problems with people “chapping her door” and urinating in her garden.

She rushed out to the nearby bus shelter during one incident, she told the meeting.

McLelland said: “I went out. It wasn’t even raw bleach. It is not an excuse. I shouldn’t have done it.”

She claimed the bottle was kicked out of her hand and spilled over the victim.

But the meeting heard McLelland pled guilty in court.

The shop worker said:“I am not in the habit of going out and fighting with kids. I am a 63-year-old woman.”

She added: “Everybody in this life makes mistakes.

Nobody in this world is perfect.”

She told the meeting she had phoned the police numerous times to report anti-social behaviour at her property.

Councillors adjourned the meeting to discuss whether she should be handed a licence.

On return, their opinion w a s s p lit with thr e e councillors voting to grant her application and the same number against.

Board Chair Councillor Tom Cook had the ruling say and decided to grant McLelland’s licence.

He said giving her the licence would not increase her chances of committing a similar offence in the future.

Councillors George Mair, John Campbell and Fiona Campbell voted to refuse the licence, while councillors Drew Filson, Lillian Jones supported Councillor Cook’s view to grant it.

Councillor Cook said he would grant the licence “albeit with reservations.”