He threatened to punch neighbour over ‘attack’

A dog lover threatened to punch his elderly neighbour amid claims the pensioner kicked his pet pooch, a court was told.

Angry Robert Fielding, 23, chapped the door of Janice and Alex Gibson, last August after being told Mr Gibson had kicked his German Shepherd puppy.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard Fielding of High Parksail, Erskine, confronted his neighbours about reclaiming the cost of attending the vet, when he lost his cool and threatened to attack Mr Gibson.

Fiscal depute Frank Clarke said: “Janice Gibson is a neighbour of the accused. “She has known him all her life. “The background is he attended her door amid allegations her husband Alex had possibly kicked a dog belonging to the accused.

“He took exception to this and this took him to the door where he spoke to Mrs Gibson about reclaiming the cost of treatment for the dog’s vet bill.

“During this he told her if he kicked the dog again, he would ‘punch him.’ “This matter was reported to police.” Defence agent Charlie McCusker said: “His dog was a puppy, which is now 16 months old, and it has been described as the love of his life.

“Mr Gibson was said to have kicked his dog in the teeth the previous day when the pet met up with his own dog.

“He was very upset by this and he admits making this comment when he shouldn’t have.”

The lawyer added there has been no further incidents between the neighbours and that his client has complied with bail conditions.

Yesterday Fielding of High Parksail, Erskine, admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear alarm by shouting and uttering threats on August 28, 2016.

Sheriff James Spy showed mercy to the accused and deferred sentence for six months to allow Fielding to keep out of trouble.

He said: “I will give you the chance to show this won’t happen again.”