A 40-year-old man has been fined after flying into a rage in a school playground because he was frustrated by the school bully – aged five.
A court was told yesterday the large primary one pupil had been picking on smaller children since they had been in nursery school together.
Perth Sheriff Court was told the management of the Perthshire school was aware of the issue and were taking steps to tackle the bullying.
The court heard how Ryan Davidson decided to tackle the boy’s mother head-on when he met her in the playground of the school shortly after the start of term.
Depute fiscal Michael Sweeney said: “There had been issues. This was due to children becoming involved in scuffles at the school.
“The mother was dropping off her son at 9am and standing in the playground talking to others.
“The accused walked into the playground and started shouting and swearing at her.”
Davidson launched a foul-mouthed tirade in which he branded the woman’s son a bully.
Davidson, from Perthshire, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear or alarm by repeatedly shouting and swearing.
Solicitor Pauline Cullerton, defending, said: “Mr Davidson has indicated to me that the school are aware of the issues which are going on.”
She said a child, aged five, was being bullied by the other boy who is the same age but is “bigger” than him.
“This has been going on all through nursery and has been documented by the school,” Mrs Cullerton told the court.
“My client accepts this was not the best way to go about things but he was pretty much at the end of his tether. He accepts he should not have shouted and sworn.”
Sheriff William Wood fined Davidson £450 and told him: “The circumstances are of some concern.
“You need to put matters in the hands of the school and leave them to deal with it.
“You cannot go round shouting and swearing in playgrounds, regardless of what provocation you think there might be.
“It is not appropriate behaviour in front of children.
“I am told it caused upset and I do need to mark the court’s displeasure by imposing a fine.”
