A serial pest left his latest victim “petrified” when he approached her in a Dunfermline Asda car park and said “put your f***ing shopping in the car” and called her a “f***ing bitch”.
Kenneth Grindlay alarmed the 45-year-old woman on the January evening this year, causing her to run back into the shop to get a security guard.
Grindlay, 40, of Mackie Place, Dunfermline, has a track record of targeting female strangers in the street.
Previous offences have included following two women as they walked a dog near Woodmill Road in June last year and asking one of them to fight him before pulling out and swinging a wine bottle.
He also exposed himself to two women and a 12-year-old child in November 2022, weeks after shouting at and following the same two adults in a Dunfermline street.
Grindlay appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court last week for sentencing for his latest offence.
He earlier pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, causing fear or alarm, by repeatedly shouting, swearing and acting aggressively at Asda St Leonards on January 10.
Terrifying encounter
Prosecutor Amy Robertson told the court it was around 6.30pm when the woman started putting her shopping in the car boot.
She became aware of Grindlay standing close to her in one of the parking bays.
The fiscal depute said: “He thereafter walked towards (the woman), stating ‘aye, put your f***ing shopping in the car’.
“As he said this he had been pointing to the woman which caused her to become scared and she describes his tone as loud and aggressive.
“She began to try to get into the car to get away, at which stage he continued walking towards her shouting ‘you with the blonde hair, you f***ing bitch, you f***ing cow'”.
The fiscal said the woman described being “petrified” and ran back to Asda to contact a store security guard.
The security guard tried to speak to Grindlay, who shouted “why is she being nice to him but not being nice to me” and called her a “bitch” again.
The security guard told Grindlay he was not welcome in the shop and he walked off.
The woman contacted her partner to come to the shop as she was “too frightened” to come out by herself, the fiscal said.
On way to police station
Grindlay was identified following a CCTV review and police became aware the next day he was in custody in relation to another matter.
Defence lawyer Alexander Flett said Grindlay had been on his way to hand himself in to police in respect of an outstanding warrant when the incident at Asda happened.
The solicitor said Grindlay has autistic spectrum disorder and complicated mental health diagnoses but there is no ongoing treatment at present.
Mr Flett said Grindlay had been drinking before he went to the police station and remembers seeing the woman but does not remember what was said.
He added: “He can recall the woman looked at him in what was a funny way, perhaps because of his appearance, which is somewhat unusual.
“He then made the comments. He now accepts that.
“He did not mean to cause alarm but accepted he did”.
Fined
Sheriff Susan Duff pointed out this was in the middle of January in the dark in a car park outside a supermarket.
Mr Flett added: “His presentation and speaking to her in the way he did would have given her quite a fright.”
The lawyer said Grindlay lives on benefits and on his own.
Sheriff Duff remarked there is “a lot of the same thing” on his record.
Mr Flett said: “Yes, that’s right. I think it’s attributable to a combination of mental health issues and alcohol.
“He seems at the minute to be largely staying out of trouble”.
Sheriff Duff fined Grindlay £150, having regard to the fact he is on benefits.
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