The bizarre antics of a “distraught” dad, who climbed up on to the Forth Road Bridge and swung from a cable, have been slammed by a sheriff.
Darren Petrie caused “huge disruption” when he brought all traffic on the bridge to a halt and also stopped shipping in the river below.
The January incident brought even more misery for bridge users after the shock closure just a few weeks earlier because of structural defects.
Petrie, who swung from a safety cable, has now been placed on a restriction of liberty order.
He clambered up on to a suspension cable and then crossed over the central beam.
His actions brought to a halt to traffic on both carriageways and the closure of the shipping channel.
Petrie, 28, of Tulloch Court, Cowdenbeath, appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.
He admitted on January 22 at the Forth Road Bridge he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner.
He stood on the main suspension cable of the north tower of the bridge causing all southbound traffic to be stopped.
Petrie then crossed over the central support beam, causing all northbound traffic to be halted and the shipping channel underneath to be closed.
He finished off by taking hold of a safety cable and swinging from it.
Sentencing had been delayed previously for a psychiatric report.
Defence solicitor Stephen Morrison said, “It appears he was distraught about a former relationship.”
The solicitor admitted “considerable disruption” was caused. He said his client had a background of mental health problems but was in full-time employment in Dundee and had retained his job despite this incident.
“There was a hearing about it but he’s been allowed to keep his job,” added Mr Morrison.
Sheriff Craig McSherry told Petrie, “This incident caused huge disruption and massive inconvenience to others as a result of your selfish actions.”
As a direct alternative to jail, the sheriff imposed a community payback order with 200 hours of unpaid work. Petrie was also made subject to a restriction of liberty order for nine months.
The incident occurred a month after the Forth Road Bridge had been closed for almost three weeks after the discovery of defects.