A former lawyer has been accused of threatening to burn down the office of Jeremy Corbyn MP and impersonating Scotland’s Chief Constable.
Matthew Sylvestre appeared in the dock at Perth Sheriff Court to face two charges, including one of causing fear or alarm by threatening the former Labour Party leader.
Sylvestre, from Victoria Place, Buckie, allegedly acted in a threatening or abusive manner at his home on December 19 2021 by sending a threatening email to the office of the Right Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP.
The 59-year-old is alleged to have “used abusive language and implied you were going to burn down his office.”
The other charge alleges that on December 16 2021 he stalked former Police Scotland Chief Constable Iain Livingstone by sending him a menacing postcard.
He is alleged to have engaged in a course of conduct which caused fear or alarm by sending the card, stating George Baigrie would contact the country’s top police officer from Perth Prison.
Sylvestre allegedly then wrote to Baigrie in jail while pretending to be Mr Livingstone and disclosing the police officer’s address to the prisoner.
Case delay
Solicitor John McLaughlin, for Sylvestre, told the court on Thursday his client would not enter a plea until he had been assessed by a psychiatrist.
He said there is CCTV from WH Smith which has not yet been reviewed and asked the court to continue the case for two months to allow reports by the defence and the Crown to be completed.
Fiscal depute Emma Farmer told the court she had no opposition to the case being put back without Sylvestre entering a plea.
She said: “The Crown are continuing a few inquiries regarding additional evidence which may add a witness or two but it shouldn’t cause too many difficulties.”
Sheriff Jennifer Bain KC continued the case to another first diet.
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