A Fife man screamed abuse at a pair of dog walkers after becoming convinced they were police officers keeping him under surveillance.
Gifford Mair began to shout and scream at the bewildered duo as they walked along the coastal path at Elie in the East Neuk.
The pair one of whom happened to be an off-duty police officer were at a beauty spot known as the Silver Sands when Mair strode purposefully toward them before beginning to scream abuse.
Mair (52), of East Shore, St Monans, admitted that on January 16, on the coastal path, he committed a breach of the peace by shouting, swearing and flailing his arms.
He further admitted that, the next day at The Terrace in Elie, he again breached the peace by shouting and swearing.
Depute fiscal Laura McLaughlin gave details of the somewhat bizarre offences.
“Witnesses, including an off-duty police officer, were walking their dog on the coastal path,” she told Cupar Sheriff Court. “At about 3.30pm they were on the Silver Sands when they saw the accused walking purposefully in their direction across the beach.
“The accused then stopped about 25 yards in front of the witnesses and began to shout at the top of his voice.”
Mair repeatedly swore at the pair and bellowed, “I have told you before, get off this beach.”
She said the pair tried to reason with Mair before concluding discretion was the better part of valour and fleeing the scene.
“They initially walked toward the accused and asked him why he was conducting himself in this manner but he became even more exasperated and began to flail his arms while repeating the same phrases,” the depute fiscal said.
“The witnesses were extremely concerned and left the beach as they feared the accused’s behaviour was escalating and that he was becoming more and more aggressive toward them.”
The following day, the officer was back on duty in a marked police vehicle when Mair spotted him in Elie. “The accused began shouting and swearing at the top of his voice.”
The court heard how Mair had previously been described as being “extremely paranoid” about police activity.
“He believes he is being kept under surveillance by the police,” said the depute fiscal. “At interview he described concerns about undercover officers, saying they were carrying out surveillance on him.”
Representing himself in court, Mair said, “It is just as the fiscal described. I thought I was under surveillance by the police.”
Sheriff Charles Macnair deferred sentence for reports including a psychiatric assessment until June 2.