A man threatened to stab a bus driver and blow up a police officer’s house during post-drinking mayhem in Fife.
Derry Nelson, 31, also “squared up” to a bus passenger before spitting in her face during the episode in Buckhaven on April 19 last year.
Nelson, 31, appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court from custody to plead guilty to two assaults and two charges of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Prosecutor Lee-Anne Barclay told the court the accused was drinking alcohol with others at an address in the town’s West High Street when he became angry at an allegation – later found to be incorrect – made by a woman about her purse being stolen.
He threw items around the house, causing damage to a TV, and damaged a gas meter.
Bus barney
The woman later found her purse and she and Nelson went to a bus stop in College Street, arriving around 6.25am, where they both argued.
Nelson boarded a bus but was asked by the driver to leave due to his behaviour.
Nelson refused and shouted: “I will batter you”.
A female passenger, then 48, also asked him to get off as she needed to get to work.
The fiscal said: “He (Nelson) proceeded to square up to (the woman) and thereafter spat in her face.”
Nelson grabbed at the woman he was with and “hauled her off” the bus as the pair continued to argue over money.
The bus driver disembarked to help but Nelson made threatening remarks.
Ms Barclay continued: “I understand threats to stab him were being made by Mr Nelson”.
Police abuse
Police arrived and handcuffed Nelson before attempting to place him in the back of a police vehicle.
Nelson shouted at the officers phrases such as “specky black ba***rd” and “mongo”.
Ms Barclay said: “He threatened to blow up one officer’s house and his mother’s house and was continuing to strike his head against the inside of the police vehicle.”
Court papers say the threatening or abusive behaviour charge involving the police was aggravated under the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 by prejudice related to disability, race and sexual orientation.
The cost of damage caused at the property which Nelson had been at earlier that evening is estimated to be around £500, the fiscal added.
Jailed
Defence lawyer Larry Flynn said people were drinking too much and taking drugs that night.
The argument with the woman was over a theft and “common sense seems to have departed”.
Mr Flynn pointed out the bus passenger was “not a complete stranger” to his client and there were “some words exchanged between them”.
Sheriff James Williamson jailed Nelson, of Wall Street, Buckhaven, for 18 months.
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