Back in jail after nightclub threats

A Dunfermline man has been sent back to jail for a year after threatening someone he had previously assaulted.

Darren Webster had been released early following a serious assault on the man when he saw him in a nightclub.

When the man went outside, Webster followed him and told him would knock his teeth out and was paying someone to stab him.

Webster (34), of Barrie Street, appeared from custody at Dunfermline Sheriff Court. He had been on a supervised release order when he committed the offence.

He admitted that on 5th March at Life nightclub, Kirkgate, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by uttering threats of violence to a man in reference to previous solemn criminal proceedings and placed him in a state of fear and alarm for his safety.

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia said the victim was “fearful of the accused” as a result of the incident.

“It appears this was a chance encounter between them at the nightclub, he went on. There was no interaction between them inside the nightclub but when the victim and his friend went outside for a cigarette they were approached by Webster.

He told the man he was waiting for the chance “to punch your bottom teeth out”.

He also said, “You better watch your back because I’m paying £500 for someone to stab you” and referred to the victim as a “grass”.

Defence solicitor Alexander Flett said, “He doesn’t remember exactly what he said but is clear that he didn’t intend any harm to the complainer. It’s something that was said in the heat of the moment.

“He does regret what took place. It was simply a chance encounter.”

Sheriff Charles MacNair pointed out to Webster that in  October he was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment for assaulting the man. “On 8th February you were released and within a month you threatened him with very significant violence,” he added.

Webster was sent back to jail to serve the remaining 179 days of his existing sentence and will then start a six-month jail term for this latest offence.