A racist coffee thief who targeted Kirkcaldy petrol stations and shops has been jailed after making “threats of sexual violence” to a woman.
Johnathan Watling, 35, was jailed for 17 months after committing a string of bizarre crimes in Kirkcaldy, often ending in the theft of a cup of coffee.
His one-man crime wave began on December 4, when he threatening and racially abused a worker at the BP garage on St Clair Street.
Fiscal Depute Lee-Anne Hannan told Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court Watling was already banned from the shop.
She said: “At around 8.15am, Watling came into the locus and had gone over to the coffee machine.
“The witness recognised him from previous incidents and asked him to leave and told him he was barred.
“He then told her to f*** off.”
Watling, formerly of Westwood Avenue in Kirkcaldy, made a comment about the worker’s nationality and called her a “terrorist” before leaving.
About 45 minutes later, he targeted another service station – Hursts on the corner of Wemyssfield and Abbotsall Road.
Watling arrived and went to make himself a coffee at the self-service machine and the attendant told him he had to pay first.
Watling told the employee to “go back to your own country.”
He then began walking around, stating to customers, “I’ll fight you” and talking about Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Eventually he made off with the £2.36 coffee.
Police watched CCTV at Hursts, before visiting the BP station and traced Watling later that day on Maryhall Road.
His defence solicitor stated Watling had been taking alcohol and illicit Valium and had “very little recollection” of the incidents.
Watling continued his tirades at the Nisa store on Overton Road on December 13, where he shouted, swore and uttered threats and again, stole a coffee.
He was picked up by police five days later and, while travelling into Dunfermline Police Station, repeatedly threatened the officers and their families.
While the police van was at Longannet Access Road in Kincardine, he spat and urinated.
On Christmas Day 2020, he went back to Hursts garage and stole another coffee.
Watling’s behaviour came to a head on January 13 at Greens-Loco store on St Clair Street when he repeatedly refused to leave, shouted, swore and uttered threats of sexual violence towards a woman.
Aggressive Watling then kicked a door and challenged a man to a fight.
Watling also assaulted a staff member by spitting on her body.
Sentencing, Sheriff Jamie Gilchrist described his behaviour as “disturbing” and “alarming.”
He said: “The offences on the indictment are exceptionally serious.
“Your behaviour overall is completely unacceptable.”
