A Kirkcaldy man who subjected an MSP’s member of staff to anti-Covid vaccine rants was told by a sheriff “I’m not sentencing you on your views”.
Wayne McIvor approached the woman on a number of occasions in the town centre in the mistaken belief she shared his views.
Despite being asked to leave her alone – and police stepping in – he persisted with bringing up the subject when he saw her in the street.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard the woman knew McIvor, 50, professionally through her work with David Torrance MSP.
Fiscal depute Annie MacDonald said: “During Covid he started expressing views regarding the vaccines and was subsequently barred from entering the office.
“(On the first occasion) the complainer was in the company of friends on Kirkcaldy High Street and as they were standing conversing she saw the accused walk past.
“She acknowledged him whilst conversing with the group but the accused inserted himself in the group and started to talk about the vaccine.
“He became aggressive and became theatrical and the complainer was alarmed.
“(On the next occasion), she was with a friend on Kirk Wynd walking to her office when the accused approached her from the opposite side of the road.
“He started engaging her about the Covid vaccine and she said she was on her lunch break, he was overstepping boundaries and she didn’t want to talk to him.
“He continued to express his views.”
She said McIvor was asked to step back but “took no notice”
As she tried to walk away, McIver tried to follow her, resulting in two police officers having to intervene.
Later that afternoon, the women was at the office and McIvor started shouting “certain views“ at her, in an episode witnessed by the MSP.
On another occasion, MacIver waited outside a shop after spotting the women entering and continued to spout his views.
McIvor pled guilty to engaging in a course of conduct which caused the complainer fear or alarm between August 1 2023 and August 20 2024 at Kirkcaldy‘s High Street and Kirk Wynd and the town’s Home Bargains and Mercat Shopping Centre and elsewhere.
The charge states he repeatedly approached her in public, repeatedly attempted to engage her in political discussions and stood in close proximity to her, refusing to desist or leave when instructed to do so.
Solicitor Gino Gambale, defending, said: “He tells me he believed she was someone who was like-minded.
“It’s clear that’s not the case and he should have taken the hint at a much earlier stage.
“He should’ve been aware that the complainer did not want to talk to him.”
Sentencing McIvor, Sheriff Grant McCulloch told him: “You are perfectly entitled to have strong views.
“You’re perfectly entitled to have views contrary to the majority of other people.
“You are perfectly entitled to discuss those but only with those who want to.
“It’s not appropriate to seek out a government employee and harass her
“If you had stopped on the first occasion you wouldn’t be here but you went on to harass her on three further occasions.
“There’s nothing in the report to indicate you were aware of how much you upset or frightened her, nor any remorse for doing so.
“This gives me cause for concern.”
He ordered McIvor to carry out 165 hours of unpaid work and imposed an 18-month non-harassment order banning him from contacting the woman.
The sheriff added: “I’m not sentencing you on your views, I’m sentencing you on the placing of your views on an official who did not wish to argue with you in such a manner.”
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
