Woman’s rant over lift rejection

A Fife woman did not react well when she was told her neighbours would not be able to give her a lift.

Mary Laidlaw wanted to be taken from her home in Kelty to Kirkcaldy and began shouting and swearing when told her neighbours were too busy.

As a result, Laidlaw, 54, now of Forrest Street, St Andrews, appeared in the dock at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

She admitted that on December 11 at an address on Netherton Gardens, Kelty, she behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing, repeatedly kicking a door, made an inappropriate remark and refused to leave.

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia said at around 11.45am Laidlaw had gone to her neighbours’ home and asked for a lift into Kirkcaldy.

The neighbours had helped her on previous occasions but told her they could not provide transport as they had other plans that day.

She became angry and began shouting and swearing at the neighbours, who were brother and sister. She shouted “f ****** incest” at them and was kicking at their door.

The court was told Laidlaw had a long record of alcoholrelated offending.

Sheriff Charles MacNair said: “You have the most appalling record.”

The sheriff imposed a community payback order with 18 months’ supervision and a four-month restriction of liberty order.