A drunk Dunfermline man who gave the middle finger to police when he stopped off in Saline during a journey to Kincardine has been given 120 hours of unpaid work.
Gary Rankine appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing after earlier pleading guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at Main Street, Saline, and elsewhere on February 26 last year.
He admitted shouting, swearing and acting in an aggressive manner towards police officers, gesticulating offensively and aggressively and making derogatory remarks and threats.
The court heard Rankine, of Canon Lynch Court, had been boozing in Dunfermline and was on his way to his mother’s home in Kincardine.
Prosecutor Isma Mukhtar said he stopped at Saline Motors for refuge due to his level of intoxication and the weather conditions.
Passers-by contacted police due to seeing him acting in an erratic fashion and when traced, he began shouting and swearing towards them and gave them his middle finger.
He stated words such as “f***ing w***ers, f***ing pigs and f***ing come on then,” the fiscal said.
The fiscal added: “During the conversation, he unzipped his jacket, presenting his chest, and put his arms out to the side and began to square up to one of the officers”.
He was arrested and continued to call officers “w***ers”.
Defence lawyer Stephen Morrison said Rankine’s recollection of how he behaved is limited because of the amount of alcohol consumed.
Murder trial set
The full list of charges facing an Aberfeldy murder-accused was revealed as a date was set for his trial. Former gamekeeper David Campbell is accused of murdering Brian Low with a shotgun and tampering with evidence, as well as five counts of breach of the peace. He will stand trial in 2026.
Taunted police
A young Dundee driver caused £3,000 worth of damage when he reversed into a taxi in the small hours of the morning.
Reece Massie had spent the evening taunting police and gesticulating out his window at officers, before smashing into the cab on Meadowside just after 1am.
Massie also fled the Forfar Road petrol station on the wrong side of the carriageway to evade police who believed he was acting suspiciously – while banned from driving.
Massie appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court be sentenced for the courses of dangerous driving he admitted on October 21 and November 7 in 2022 respectively.
His solicitor Mike Short said: “He’s very vulnerable. People take a loan of him.
“He has now managed to separate himself from that peer group.
“His mum’s kept a very careful eye on him. That’s a good sign.”
20-year-old Massie, of Balunie Street in Dundee, was placed on a six-month restriction of liberty order, keeping him indoors between 10.30pm and 7am each night.
He was also banned from driving for a year and until he passes the extended test.
Boat thief’s appeal
A festival DJ who stole a £22,000 fishing boat in Fife launched a GoFundMe page hours after being told by a sheriff he needed to get a £10,000 bank loan to compensate the owner. Martin Dickson, who lives in Glastonbury but is from Scotland, was caught on camera arriving in a Range Rover at Forth Cruising Club to tow away the vessel, which later had its engine cut out..
Drunken smash
A motorist was still more than three times the drink-drive limit when he was breathalysed nearly five hours after crashing his motor.
Jay Wallace, 33, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court to plead guilty to driving a Mercedes Benz with excess alcohol (75mics/22) on Ferrytoll Road, Rosyth and elsewhere on February 24 this year.
Prosecutor Azrah Yousaf told the court it was about 8.20pm when Wallace lost control of the car, colliding with an embankment and coming to rest against a tree, leaving him trapped with his dog.
The fiscal depute said police attended five minutes later could smell alcohol coming from Wallace.
Wallace was not injured but was taken to hospital due to having a high heart rate and breathalysed at 1am.
Defence lawyer Alexander Flett said Wallace, of Alderston Court, had served in the forces and was discharged in 2019 with PTSD and has struggled with his mental health.
Wallace was fined £400 and banned from driving for 14 months.
Ear bite
A violent thug bit a chunk out of a rival’s ear during a savage attack on a Dundee street. Horrified children were present while Ryan Robertson choked his victim, before ripping part of his ear in an “animalistic”, summer morning attack.
Ill-fated fag dash
A disqualified driver caught driving someone else’s car to buy cigarettes has been jailed.
Barry Miller, 40, was also given a further six-year ban.
He was previously jailed for the same type of offence after falling asleep behind the wheel at a level crossing on Kingseat Road, Dunfermline, while waiting for a train to pass on June 19 last year.
Miller, of Leadside Crescent, Wellwood, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court by video link to prison to admit his latest crimes, which took place on February 22 this year.
He drove a Hyundai while disqualified on various roads in Dunfermline including Ochil Terrace, Law Road, Garvock Bank and Beath View.
He had taken the car without the owner’s consent and was driving without insurance when police stopped him.
Defence lawyer Alexander Flett said Miller candidly admitted to police what he had done and pled guilty when he appeared from custody on February 24.
The solicitor said the vehicle belonged to an acquaintance and was taken to drive “not a great distance to purchase cigarettes”.
Sheriff Susan Duff noted Miller has five previous convictions for driving while disqualified and jailed him for nine months, backdated to February 24.
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