A man forced his way into a SSPCA rehoming centre – using a car and a rope – after finding out his dog had been put down.
Nicky Syratt, 31, of Ellon, made his way into the kennels after tying the rope to his motor and accelerating away from the building.
He had signed his two dogs over to the centre in Drumoak in Aberdeenshire in June but became upset when he heard one of his dogs had been put to sleep.
When police arrived at the building, they tracked him down holding one of his dogs with a pair of scissors in one of his hands.
Syratt was charged and pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner when he appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court today.
Procurator fiscal Katie Begg told the court that one of the rescue centre employees had been tasked with keeping Syratt informed about the progress of his dogs.
She said: “She did this by telephone and was in regular contact with him.
“One of the dogs had to be put down due to an incurable illness.”
She said the employee contacted Syratt to let him know and he began to shout and swear at her stating: “I’m coming down and nothing will stop me” and said he threatened to “do in staff”.
Some of the staff were then sent home and the building was locked up as a result of the call.
One of the employees returned to her house opposite the rescue centre in Drumoak and saw Syratt arriving at the building later in the day.
Ms Begg said: “She then saw him tying a rope to the rear of his car to the door handle of the locus and he then accelerated forward in an attempt to remove the door.”
After realising he had pulled the door handles off, Syratt then wandered into the building and forced his way into the cattery and kennels.
Two police officers arrived at the scene shortly afterwards and began searching for him.
Ms Begg said: “The police clocked the accused within the central courtyard where he was holding a pair of scissors in one hand and he had a hold of his dog.
“One of the police officers asked the accused if the dog was dangerous, to which he replied, ‘No but I am’.
“After a couple of minutes the accused dropped the scissors as requested.”
The court heard Syratt also had another pair of scissors and an SPCA radio in his possession.
Defence lawyer Chris Maitland said his client suffered from a Dissocial Personality Disorder but there was no cure for the condition.
And he said the incident was “clearly alarming” for SPCA staff members but stated that his client was adamant that he did not threaten staff during the phone call.
Mr Maitland said Syratt had suffered a head injury as the result of a road accident 10 years ago which may have changed his personality.
He said the disorder could explain his client’s “extreme” reaction and conduct on the day of the offence.
Sheriff Malcolm Garden told Syratt: “I understand that you have certain difficulties but this type of behaviour and this sort of reaction is completely unacceptable and shorten you have difficulties or not I’m sure you’re capable of understanding that.”
The sheriff told Syratt, of 10 Barrett Drive, that he would need to find a coping approach to use when he got upset.
He was ordered to carry out a community payback order with 80 hours of unpaid work.
