An ambulance driver launched a racist rant at a neighbour in a dispute over a dog.
Robert Morrison called Rae Barrie an “English w****r” after objecting to being asked to keep his dog under control.
Fiscal depute Matt Piskorz told Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court the pair were in the gardens of their West Wemyss flats.
He said Morrison was cutting the grass in his garden, with another person.
He said: “The complainer asked the accused to keep his dog out of his garden.
“The accused shouted ‘F*** off, you English t**t’.
“He also said ‘you’re just an English w****r, nobody likes you’.”
‘Heat of the moment’
Morrison’s solicitor said his 58-year-old client had tried to avoid conflict with Mr Barrie.
He said: “This is a neighbourly incident – there’s four flats in the block and the complainer lives in one of the four.
“Mr Morrison has tried to stay out of disputes.
“However, on this date the accused said Mr Barrie had been staring for some time, which Mr Morrison found intimidating.
“Mr Barrie shouted to keep the dog out of his garden, which is separated by a small fence. Mr Morrison said he would try.
“Mr Barrie has replied that that was not good enough.
“At that point he (Morrison) says something in the heat of the moment. It’s something he regrets.
“He doesn’t regard himself as someone who is derogatory towards English people – his children were born in England.”
Possible disciplinary hearing
He added Morrison, who works for the Scottish Ambulance Service, is facing a potential disciplinary hearing at work.
Morrison, of Church Street, West Wemyss, admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner by shouting, swearing and uttering abusive remarks to Mr Barrie on June 7.
Sheriff James Williamson fined him £400.
