A Fife artist has been stripped of his street trader’s licence just six weeks after it was granted against police advice.
Councillors gave Alfred Petrie a licence to deal art on May 13, despite hearing he used threatening and abusive behaviour towards a young woman on a train, leaving her feeling “panicked and sick”.
Mr Petrie was called back before the same councillors at a special meeting of Fife Council’s regulation and licensing committee on June 24, however, where members decided to suspend the licence until its expiry date.
It is understood new information on the 59-year-old came to light after the original hearing.
After listening to a police report during the second meeting, which was held in private, members ruled Mr Petrie was no longer considered a fit and proper person to hold the licence.
The permit, allowing him to sell art in Church Square, St Andrews, at weekends, was suspended until February 12.
Details of the new information about Mr Petrie, from Newport-on-Tay, have not been made public, although it has been confirmed he was present at the meeting and had an opportunity to be heard.
Committee convener, SNP councillor Carol Lindsay, said she could not comment on the case as it was heard in private.
The committee was told last month that the trader had pled guilty in January to a charge that he used threatening and abusive behaviour towards a woman on a train to Edinburgh on July 11 last year.
During the original hearing, Sergeant Gordon Hood said Mr Petrie had struck up a conversation with the woman, telling her: “This is going to be the best journey of your life. I’m going to draw you.”
He said Mr Petrie moved seats so he was opposite the woman and began asking her personal questions.
“The applicant then drew an image in a sketch pad of two females hugging and told the female it was her and her sister,” said Mr Hood.
“This caused the female to feel panicked and sick.
“The applicant then drew an image of a naked female looking in a mirror as seen from behind.”
Mr Hood said Mr Petrie later became aggressive and was shouting, ranting and slamming the table.
“The female described feeling being frozen in fear due to his actions,” he said.
The sergeant added that the applicant disputed the woman’s account.
The Courier made a number of attempts to contact Mr Petrie following the licensing committee’s decision, but was unable to reach him.
At the time of the court case, he said the sketch book had contained a “relatively inoffensive” picture of a nude woman from the back.
“That picture was not drawn on the train,” he said. “It was already in the book.
“I never drew any picture that was supposed to be her or her sister.”
