A Scots writer whose guide was snapped up by Vin Diesel to show into one other Braveheart attacked his spouse in the course of the “poisonous breakdown” of their marriage.
Peter Ross Leckie was convicted of assaulting spouse Sophie at their million-pound Edinburgh residence as their relationship collapsed.
Leckie wrote a novel about Hannibal, with Hollywood star Diesel desperate to play the Carthaginian common who led his elephants throughout the Alps to assault Rome.
The 65-year-old, who earned a fortune working for an funding agency, went to highschool at Edinburgh’s fee-paying Fettes School.
Leckie attended the varsity similtaneously future Labour prime minister Tony Blair.
In addition to being a author and dealing in finance, Leckie was a failed Conservative parliamentary candidate.
Leckie appeared for sentencing on the metropolis’s sheriff courtroom on Wednesday after the case had been deferred for studies.
Sheriff Chris Dickson advised Leckie that his offending befell in the course of the “poisonous breakdown of a relationship”.
The sheriff imposed a ten-year non-harassment order, banning Leckie from approaching or contacting ex-wife Sophie, or going to their former marital residence.
Leckie was positioned on supervision for 2 years and given 140 hours of unpaid work.
A jury final month discovered him responsible of 4 fees.
Leckie was convicted of assaulting his spouse on one event between December 15 and 31 2015 at their residence within the New City by seizing her by the neck and struggling along with her.
He was additionally convicted of behaving in a threatening or abusive method throughout the identical interval by shouting and swearing at Sophie of their property.
The jury discovered him responsible of assaulting his spouse on varied events between January 1 2015 and June 30 2018 by repeatedly poking her on the physique.
Leckie was convicted of behaving in a threatening or abusive method on dates between September 7 2012 and June 30 2018.
It’s understood the couple married in 1995 and divorced in 2019.
Leckie, of Glenquiech close to Forfar in Angus, beforehand labored for Martin Currie Funding Administration and studied at Oxford College.
In keeping with Corporations Home, he resigned from his position with Artemis Funding Administration final month.
Leckie is known to have labored on oil rigs, and as a trainer and journalist.
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He wrote historic fiction in his Carthage trilogy underneath the title Ross Leckie, with the primary, Hannibal, printed in 1995. He was recruited as an advisor for the proposed movie adaptation.
In 2002 our sister paper the Sunday Mail revealed how Quick and Livid star Diesel wished to make his personal Braveheart-type movie with a £165 million finances.
The script was impressed by Leckie’s novel tracing the lifetime of Hannibal from round 218BC.
On the time, Diesel stated: “It's a character I've all the time wished to play, in the identical method that Mel Gibson received to make his dream venture with Braveheart.
“So we took an choice on the guide by Ross. The script is being written from that. I can’t wait to learn it.”
After 20 years, Diesel’s ardour venture, which reportedly had Gladiator director Ridley Scott hooked up, nonetheless hasn’t gone into manufacturing.
However final yr Diesel once more advised of his want to make the movie and direct it itself.