A woman who flew into a rage and tried to rip apart a disabled woman’s mobility scooter was not coping well with lockdown, a court has heard.
Elaine McDonald went out for revenge and targeted the home of a rival in Rattray, near Blairgowrie.
She dragged the woman’s disability buggy across concrete, before attempting to wrestle its whicker shopping basket off of the handlebars.
The 65-year-old banged on the door of the woman’s home and shouted that her husband would come and “kill everyone” at the address.
Perth Sheriff Court had heard MacDonald also made several threatening and racist phone calls to 999 operators.
In one exchange, she told them: “I’m Elaine McDonald from Blairgowrie, and those f****** Chinese b******s from the chip shop better watch out.”
In the dock
McDonald appeared in the dock on Wednesday, having earlier admitted acting in a threatening or abusive manner in Hatton Place, Rattray, and in a police van on June 22, 2020.
She also admitted that weeks earlier, from her home in Glenshee Drive, Rattray, she repeatedly made calls to the police emergency line and uttered threats of violence and racial remarks.
The court heard McDonald had gone to the home of her disabled rival, believing she had exploited her financially and keen to take revenge.
Fiscal depute Andrew Harding said that a witness inside the property heard the commotion outside.
“She went to the front door and locked it, to prevent the accused from getting inside.
“Ms McDonald began banging on the front door and an adjacent kitchen window.
“She was screaming: ‘Two-faced b******’.”
He said: “The accused made threats to have her husband come to kill everyone at the address.”
The court heard McDonald then turned her attention to the mobility scooter parked outside.
“She was seen pulling it around on the pavement and made efforts to snap the whicker basket off the handlebars, although no damage appeared to have been caused,” said Mr Harding.
The police were called and shortly after they arrived, McDonald returned to the scene and continued hurling abuse and banged on the living room window.
“Officers formed the view she was heavily under the influence,” said Mr Harding.
She was placed into the caged area of the police van, but kicked out at the doors, shouted and swore.
Six 999 calls in one morning
The court heard that in a separate incident, between midnight and 7am on May 21, McDonald made six calls to 999 operators.
“There was no apparent emergency,” Mr Harding said.
In one call, she urged police to “get that glaickit c*** off my back before I kill the b******.”
She also referenced “f****** Chinese b*******” three times.
Solicitor Mike Tavendale said his client had a problem with alcohol that stretched back nearly three decades.
“The effects of lockdown have had a severe impact on her,” he said.
“She is a social animal and reacts best to face to face interaction.”
He added: “She also lost her pet dog, which had been a big help in battling her mental health issues. This only compounded matters.”
Mr Tavendale told the court: “She is very well known in the local area and in the past her good nature has been taken advantage by others.”
Sheriff Gillian Wade fined McDonald £600.
