A former soldier has spoken of his relief after being cleared of hurling anti-English abuse at a Kinross “family from hell” on Armistice Day.
Emma and Simon Green, along with their daughter’s partner Ian Saunders, had accused elderly John Adcock of unleashing the racist tirade after he asked them to move their caravan.
The 71-year-old was found not guilty of threatening and abusive behaviour after Sheriff David Griffiths said that he could not rule out collusion between his accusers.
The Greens told Perth Sheriff Court they and Mr Saunders had been preparing to hitch up their caravan when Mr Adcock ordered them to move it in an expletive-laden, racist rant.
They also claimed he told them “I’m an ex-Royal Marine and I could kill you with two fingers”.
However Mr Adcock, who was never in the elite force but did serve in the Royal Artillery for 15 years, told the court he was merely asking how long the caravan would be parked on the street as he was concerned about his daughter being able to access his drive.
He also stressed he does not use foul language, stating: “I didn’t swear. I’ve never sworn in my life – I don’t believe in swearing.”
Mr Adcock, of Kinross, was cleared of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner by shouting swearing, acting aggressively, uttering racial remarks and threatening violence on the town’s Ross Street on November 11 last year.
Speaking after the verdict he said: “I’m shaking. I was very upset – it should never have got this far. It’s over and I can now relax.”
His daughter Joan Reekie added her father and her deceased mother, who have lived in the same house for more than 30 years, were “really good neighbours” who helped others out with errands and hospital appointments.
She said: “They descended on my father like a pack of animals. It’s ended up in court because of their lies. I think it’s terrible that they can get away with it.”
The Green’s antics have seen them previously branded the “family from hell”.
Perth and Kinross Council has previously tried to evict the Greens, who have nine children living in their four-bedroomed home, over rent arrears.
In 2014 mother-of-11 Mrs Green was fined £200 for punching her son in the face after he came out as gay and in 2014 they were served Asbos after a 4am drunken performance of a scene from Titanic.
