Activist fined for ‘blaring music’

● SNP member admits threatening Tory pair during election campaign

An SNP party member who admitted threatening Conservative supporters by “blaring” an independence anthem at them from a van as they canvassed at the last general election has been fined £500.

Lorna Taylor turned up the volume of the Gerry Cinnamon song Hope Over Fear “loud enough to wake a baby”, a court was told.

Taylor, 53, shadowed the Tory team with her van “in an intimidating manner” round the village of Cowie, Stirlingshire. She filmed the incident herself on a mobile phone.

Stirling Sheriff Court was told Taylor had “reacted” to the sight of two Conservative canvassers, Gregor Ironside and Jeremy Mcdonald, on 25 May, 2017, because she thought campaigning was suspended in the wake of the

0 Lorna Taylor filmed herself on a mobile phone while shadowing the Tory team in her van playing loud music Ariana Grande concert bombing in Manchester. In fact, local campaigning had formally resumed.

Susan Campbell, prosecuting, said Mr Ironside and Mr Mcdonald had been out canvassing when they “became aware” of Taylor driving along the street just before 8pm.

Ms Campbell said: “Loud music was blaring from the windows, which were open. The occupant of the address Mr Mcdonald was at was annoyed by this, and said that the volume… was disturbing a young baby that was in the house trying to sleep.”

Mr Mcdonald approached Taylor to ask her to turn the volume down, which she refused to do.

Yesterday Taylor, of Hilton, Cowie,pleadedguiltytothreatening and abusive behaviour and using a hand-held mobile phone while driving.

Imposing the fine and ordering that six points should be endorsed on Taylor’s driving licence, Sheriff Wyllie Robertson said: “If her motivation was to criticise people she thought were committing some offence against a period of mourning, it’s a bit incongruous for her to be going around the streets blaring music out of her vehicle.”

Deanlockhart,conservative MSP for Mid-scotland and Fife, said: “Hopefully this penalty will deter others from similar aggressive actions. If not, all parties will suffer.”

A spokesperson for the SNP said: “Ms Taylor was suspended from the SNP when the matter came to light. There’s no place for this type of behaviour in a democracy.”