Man brandished walking stick as he made death threats at pub

A disabled man made death threats as he waved his walking stick in a row in a Fife pub over a broken lawnmower.

Richard Sinclair was furious about his father’s expensive mower being returned “in bits” by someone who had borrowed it.

Sinclair, 52, of Broad Street, Cowdenbeath, confronted the man and the incident resulted in an appearance from custody at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He admitted that on October 4 at the Dunvegan Bar, Broad Street, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing, uttering offensive remarks, brandishing a walking stick and threatening violence.

Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said: “The accused and complainer have been known to each other for a number of years.

“The background to this is a dispute about a borrowed lawnmower which had then been broken.

“At 5.15pm the accused approached the complainer and said he would ‘do him’ and that he was a ‘dead man walking’.”

Defence solicitor James Moncrieff said: “The complainer had borrowed his father’s lawnmower, which was worth £1,000.

“It was returned broken. It had blown up and was in bits.

“Mr Sinclair had consumed alcohol and challenged him about the lawnmower. He accepts he lost his temper.

“He is unemployed and has a number of health difficulties, which is why he requires a walking stick.”

Sheriff Simon Collins told Sinclair: “This was quite a nasty incident.”

Sheriff Collins deferred sentence for good behaviour until April 4, telling Sinclair: “You can’t behave in this manner whatever the grievance is.”