A teenager threatened to burn down Perth’s Jobcentre and “chop up” staff with an axe after learning his benefits could be cut.
Rhys Guthrie appeared at the city’s sheriff court and conceded his violent threats to the employment office team were a “wild over-reaction”.
He pled guilty to sending menacing messages to the centre manager that were “grossly offensive” in November 2023, when he was 19.
The court heard he fired off a series of violent threats and abusive comments using a online communications portal, while he was drunk.
Journal entry
Fiscal depute Alan Bell said: “The accused had an account registered through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), linked to his name and date of birth.
“This account offers him the ability to access a journal.
“It’s a communications tool for staff to communicate with the accused.”
On November 10, a message was sent to Guthrie warning he could be sanctioned and have his benefits cut because he had failed to engage with Jobcentre staff.
Guthrie posted his response two days later.
He wrote: “Watch me come in there with a f***ing axe. I’ll chop yous all up.”
He added: “Who the f*** are you speaking to? Absolute sket. F***ing burn your building down.
“Sanction me right before Xmas.”
The message was picked up by staff the following morning.
Knowing Guthrie was due to arrive for an appointment later that week, employees alerted police.
They told workers to call if Guthrie turned up for his appointment.
Mr Bell said Guthrie was later arrested after being approached by police on an unrelated matter.
“I already admit to everything,” he told them.
‘A wild over-reaction’
Solicitor Alan Davie, defending, said his client had no criminal history.
“He was 19 at the time. He realises this was a pretty disgraceful way to behave towards public service staff who were there to try and help him.
“This was a wild over-reaction.”
Mr Davie said: “He can now see to some degree the error of his ways.”
The court heard Guthrie had moved away from Perth and is now living in Dundee.
“He has made reasonably positive progress,” the solicitor said.
Sheriff Clair McLachlan told Guthrie: “To your credit, you acknowledge how completely unacceptable this was.
“I also note you have been of good behaviour since.”
Guthrie, of Ward Road, Dundee, was fined £300.
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