Jail warning over threat to kill council worker

A 56-year-old Dunfermline man, who threatened to kill a female worker at a council office, has been warned he could face jail.

Drunken lout Andrew Dean, of Macbeth Road, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He admitted that on 25th May at Fife Council local office, Abbey View, Dunfermline, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner, acted aggressively, uttered offensive remarks, shouted, swore, made threats of violence to assault and kill a council officer in the course of her employment.

Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said Dean had gone into the reception of the office, demanding to see a staff member and prodding his finger down on the counter.

There was no-one working there of that name but Dean said, “She’s a f****** bitch.”

At this point the police were called and Dean was asked to leave.

Dean then told a female customer adviser, “I’m going to jump over the counter and wring your scrawny neck. If I ever see you in the street, I’ll f****** kill you.”

Defence solicitor Ralph McCran said, “He accepts it was appalling behaviour on his part.

“The background is he had received telephone calls from the council looking for information about his neighbours and decided to go to the council officer to follow this up.

“He recognised someone he had cause to complain about previously. Seeing that person, and with the drink he had taken, he effectively lost all control.”

The solicitor detailed a list of difficulties facing Dean in his life, including a neighbour dispute, two recent heart attacks, significant rent arrears and a drink problem.

Sheriff Craig McSherry told Dean, “Given the nature of this offence and where it took place I am considering imprisoning you.”

In the first instance, he called for reports to see if there is alternative sentence to jail and Dean will return to court on 19th July.