Man fined for sending ‘joke in bad taste’

‘A joke in extremely bad taste’ has cost a property landlord £250.

Kenneth Livingstone, of 46 Bute Crescent, Dunfermline, appeared before Oban Sheriff Court on Monday and admitted sending a text message to a tenant of a grossly offensive, or obscene or menacing character; the tenant lived in a flat owned by Livingstone in the Soroba area of Oban.

Procurator fiscal Eoin McGinty told Sheriff Patrick Hughes that the tenant and Livingstone, 56, had a lengthy text conversation discussing her difficulty in paying part of the rent; Livingstone then sent a sexually suggestive text and the tenant objected.

Livingstone’s defence agent, Edward Thornton, told the court that Livingstone immediately replied by text saying he was sorry if he had upset the young mother-of-two and that it was a joke. He added that communications between the tenant by text and when carrying out repairs at the flat, when her mother was present, had included sexual banter and innuendo.

Print-outs of conversations and the one which led to the court appearance were shown to the sheriff.

‘The majority of these ended with kisses,’ said Mr Thornton.

Sheriff Hughes said he was persuaded that the sexual aspect of the case was minimal and he fined Livingstone £250, saying the joke was ‘in extremely bad taste’.