Violent benefits protest earns payback order

Sheriff issues compo ruling after fracas in Jobcentre

An ill-tempered jobseeker who had his benefits stopped lost the plot at an unemployment office, a court has heard.

Raging Thomas Pentland flew into a rage at a Jobcentre in Johnstone’s Floors Street, last December.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard how he became agitated because he felt a security guard was eavesdropping on him and told a member of staff: “I could kill people like him for listening in to my conversation and kidding on he isn’t.”

He then stood up, slammed a chair on the table and smashed a glass panel on the office door, startling the member of staff.

Police were called, and the incident had been captured in full by CCTV.

In court last month, Pentland, 49, of Lomond Gardens, Elderslie, admitted committing the offence by behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear and alarm.

Defence agent Charlie McCusker said it was “a sad case” as his client was not only frustrated at what he felt was unfair treatment, but had also been drinking too much as the medication which had been prescribed for his underlying depression and anxiety had not helped his condition.

Since then, his GP had identified the issue as something that needed to be corrected, and he was now on a different medication which has brought about a definite improvement.

Pentland had suffered post-traumatic stress disorder following a serious assault which had a devastating impact on his life.

“He very much regrets his behaviour,” said the lawyer, “and is appalled at what he did.”

Since having his benefits stopped, he was surviving with the help of family members and what he could obtain from foodbanks as he awaited an opportunity to have his case reviewed at a tribunal.

Sheriff Colin Pettigrew said that any such conduct at a Jobcentre was to be deplored as staff were only trying to help people to the best of their ability.

“While you may have been frustrated, you cannot behave in this fashion,” he hit out.

The sheriff called for background reports to be prepared, to give Pentland a chance to get the issue of benefits sorted out in the hope that he would then be in a position to pay compensation towards repair of the broken door panel, which had been put at £200.

When Pentland returned to court for disposal and it was revealed that he was not in receipt of benefits, the Sheriff ordered him to pay £200 in compensation at £10 per fortnight.

He also made the accused the subject of a 12- month Community Payback Order requiring him to attend for alcohol counselling as part of his programme of supervision.

Sheriff Pettigrew ordered him to return to court again on October 10 for a review and called for a progress report to be obtained to monitor his co-operation.

He warned: “You must comply in full or you may very well find this arrangement being cancelled.”