A “neighbour from hell” who racially abused a Kirkcaldy man has been ordered to carry out unpaid work.
Paul Lawlor was handed the order as a direct alternative to a custodial sentence.
A solicitor for the 53-year-old said he accepted his behaviour but there was “context” to it.
She said there was a “clash of personalities” between the pair and that the neighbour had since moved from the area.
Lawlor stood trial at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court accused of calling the man a “Polish pig” and challenging him to a fight while holding a kitchen knife in Links Street on April 18.
He was convicted of shouting, swearing, challenging him to a fight while being in possession of a knife and making a racially offensive remark.
He must carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.
Out-of-control dogs killed Labrador
Ian Nicolson will be sentenced later after admitting having dangerously out-of-control Staffordshire Bull Terriers which attacked people and other dogs in Montrose. One of the victims, a Labrador called Marley, had to be euthanised as a result. The Staffies Jake and Bella, could be destroyed on the court’s orders.
‘Pretend blowing’ denied
A drink-drive suspect has insisted he was not pretending when he failed to operate a breathalyser after a police stop in Perth.
Ewan Rawlings was pulled over while driving his mum’s Volkswagen Golf in the city centre last month.
Police officers said the 28-year-old was smelling of booze.
Rawlings, of Main Street, Bankfoot, was taken to Police HQ in Dundee and asked to provide two samples of breath.
Fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson said: “The accused failed to blow into the breathalyser.
“Police officers believed he was pretending to blow into the device but was actually blowing outside the tube.”
Rawlings told cops: “I’m happy to do the test.”
He admitted a charge of failing to provide breath specimens on October 23, after driving on North Methven Street, West Mill Street and Thimblerow car park.
Solicitor Steve Lafferty said his client had been drinking with friends the night before and until 7am or 8am the next morning. He was breathalysed at 10pm.
“He accepts that there wasn’t a reasonable excuse for not providing breath samples, but he says he was not pretending.”
Sheriff Gillian Wade deferred sentence until December 14 for reports and Rawlings was banned from driving in the interim.
International manhunt
An “untouchable” Dundee paedophile has finally been jailed following an eight-year international manhunt. Depraved William Demspter , 46, fled to Thailand while on bail awaiting sentencing for possession of obscene child abuse material. He was extradited from Asia and appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Monday.
Rum straight from the bottle
A Fife man verbally abused his partner at the end of a Halloween party, where he was said to be drinking rum straight from the bottle.
Marley McDonald pled guilty to acting aggressively, shouting and swearing, making derogatory remarks and kicking a door at their house in High Valleyfield, on October 30.
Procurator fiscal depute Azrah Yousaf told Dunfermline Sheriff Court: “During the afternoon the accused consumed a lot of alcohol, including rum straight from the bottle.
“The complainer’s sister was aware he was very drunk and tried to give him water”.
Ms Yousaf said McDonald’s partner told him to sleep on the couch as he had been sick.
“He started to shout and swear… and that he was going to smash the car up.
“He took the key and sat in the car shouting at himself, really”.
Defence lawyer Stephen Morrison said McDonald is “not proud of himself” and would be significantly monitoring his future alcohol consumption.
Mr Morrison said the woman is “content to have him back because it’s out of character”.
Sheriff David Hall noted McDonald admitted the offence at the earliest opportunity and sentenced him to carry out 65 hours of unpaid work.
Mowed down mum
A Kirkcaldy man drove over his mother’s leg when she tried to stop him leaving by holding on to his van steering wheel after a “disagreement”. Steven Pentland, 37, sped off and dragged his mum for 15 metres until she was injured and then he drove off without stopping.
