A Monifieth man called police six times in a night, claiming there was hostage crisis in Toronto.
Stanley Cattanach, 40, of Milton Street, was placed under supervision after admitting obstructing police by making false 999 calls on October 28 last year.
Police visited his house after he told call handlers a male was holding hostage three female children in Toronto, before asking for the number of the Toronto police department.
In other calls, he said there was an active shooter, his mother’s life was at risk and he requested armed police because men had guns.
Officers found him lying on his couch.
Self-representing at Forfar Sheriff Court, Cattanach said his alcohol consumption had dropped from a litre bottle of whisky a day to three cans of cider.
He said: “In my defence, the events that I was saying were true to me.
“I accept now, clearly, they weren’t.
“I do recognise that it is an outrageous story.”
As a direct alternative to custody, Sheriff Mark Thorley placed Cattanach under supervision for a year with an alcohol treatment requirement.
He said: “You’re wasting the police’s time when they could be dealing with real emergencies.”
Bus trip from hell
A Dundee lout, high on Valium and Buckfast, threatened to cut off a schoolboy’s ears, sexually assaulted a teenage girl and punched a man in the face during a bus journey from hell. Connor McInearney, 26, of Ancrum Court was brought from prison to Forfar Sheriff Court to admit the crimes committed on the 57 service on March 10 this year.
Teen torrent
Dunfermline woman Erin McLean screamed abuse at a teenage girl because she believed she was responsible for damaging her car.
She had approached the girl’s parents but became enraged after being told to take any proof to the police.
Instead she cornered the teenager several weeks later as she walked with her younger sister.
Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard she started shouting and swearing at her, calling her names.
Solicitor Ian Beatson, defending, said McLean “didn’t think she would get short shrift” from the teenager’s parents.
“Unfortunately that’s when she lost her temper,” he said.
McLean, 21, of Forest Place, admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards the teenager at and address in Dunfermline on two occasions between September 15 and November 27 last year.
Sheriff Grant McCulloch fined her £200.
Distinguished special constable fined
A retired special constable from northeast Fife carelessly overtook a police car and another vehicle on the morning of New Year’s Day. William Roxburgh, 74, who was awarded a long-service medal, suffered his first appearance in court – other than to give evidence – to be sentenced.
Seven times limit
A motorist caught at seven times the drink drive limit was found in a Fife car park with an open bottle of alcohol in his lap.
William Gordon was asleep at the wheel of his Renault Megane when police approached him at Tesco in Dalgety Bay.
Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard officers were called to the store at 4.45pm.
Gordon woke as they opened the car door and they could see an open bottle of alcohol in his lap.
The vehicle also smelled strongly of alcohol.
Gordon, 54, of West Croft, Ratho, admitted being in charge of a vehicle with excess alcohol (155mics/ 22) on March 21 this year.
Sheriff Grant McCulloch disqualified him from driving for four months and fined him £500.
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