A debt collector went to a St Andrews couple’s home with a dog and threatened them with “serious repercussions” unless they paid off £1,150 owed by their son.
Jamie MacDonald claimed he would get “lots of other people” to the house if they did not pay.
Before departing, MacDonald said their son owed another £100 for the “call out fee” and gave them a sort code and account number on a piece of paper.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard MacDonald, 32, of East Green, Anstruther, let the dog into their home.
Sheriff Timothy Niven-Smith asked: “I presume the dog was not a standard poodle?”
Defence lawyer Larry Flynn replied: “He does not recall but accepts it was not a small dog”.
MacDonald appeared for sentencing after earlier pleading guilty to attempting to compel the couple by threats to pay £1,150 into a bank account on November 24 2020.
‘I am a debt collector’
Prosecutor Eve McKaig told the court MacDonald arrived at the couple’s home with the dog on a loose lead and rang the doorbell.
The wife answered and MacDonald told her “I’m here to collect money” and ordered her to pay.
The woman told him he had come to the wrong door and when MacDonald told her he was there for her son, she said he was not there.
The fiscal depute continued: “The accused stated that the money needs to be paid tonight or there will be serious repercussions.
“He was not holding the dog back.”
Ms McKaig said the dog then “jumped up” at the woman and entered the property.
Her husband asked MacDonald why he was there and was told: “Your son owes me and my associates money”.
The woman asked what for, and MacDonald told them: “Drugs”.
The husband asked MacDonald if he was a drug dealer, to which MacDonald said: “No, I am a debt collector”.
‘Serious repercussions’
The fiscal depute said MacDonald asked them to get a pen and paper to write down a sort code and account number or there would be “serious repercussions and lots of other people coming”.
Ms McKaig said MacDonald gave them with the bank details and stated who he was and that he was from Anstruther.
He told the couple their son “owes £1,150 and £100 for the call out fee – tonight.”
MacDonald told the couple their son was their responsibility and it was their job to pay.
They said he would not be getting money and MacDonald continued to make threats.
When he left, the husband called the police.
No better than serious criminals
Sheriff Niven-Smith pointed out MacDonald himself was taking drugs and obtaining them from dealers who “persuade by threats of violence”.
He said: “You were no better than those serious organised individuals and did their bidding in a bid to reduce your drug debt by attending with a dog at the (couple’s) house.”
He acknowledged MacDonald’s mental health – for which Mr Flynn said he is receiving treatment – could explain why he may do the bidding of others more easily than other people.
The sheriff sentenced MacDonald to 192 hours of unpaid work and placed him on offender supervision for two years.
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