Animal rights activist spared prison after making threats against abattoir workers

A pensioner who repeatedly phoned a north-east slaughterhouse and called workers murderers has told a sheriff his experience in the dock was a “wake-up call”.

Animal rights activist Stephen Rae also threatened to vandalise employees’ cars during the calls to McIntosh Donald, an abattoir in Portlethen.

The 66-year-old had been warned he could face a prison sentence after he admitted making various late-night calls between November 26 2020 and January 6 last year.

The court previously heard the calls, made from Rae’s mobile phone, were answered by security staff at the Cookston Road meat processing plant.

Fiscal depute David Rodger said: “On November 26, these witnesses received persistent phone calls from the accused’s mobile.

Called staff ‘animal killers’

“A male voice was heard making threatening comments regarding the witnesses being animal killers and murderers.”

Rae also told the workers that he knew how many vehicles were in the staff car park.

Further phone calls followed on December 9 2020, when Rae again stated workers were “murderers and animal killers” and threatened to damage their cars.

During more calls on January 6, Rae warned he had “traced” employees’ cars to their home addresses and that they “will be vandalised in the next few days”.

Rae pled guilty to two charges of making calls that were grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character.

Appearing without a solicitor last month, Rae told the court he was a member of an animal rights group and initially claimed he was “acting in concert” with someone else on the phone.

Sheriff William Summers pointed out that that position was inconsistent with Rae’s pleas of guilty – prompting Rae to agree that he had made the calls.

Sheriff Summers ordered background reports but warned Rae that given he’d been in imprisoned before, back in 1986, that “custody is a possibility”.

‘Why should I not send you to jail?’

When Rae returned to the dock for sentencing, he was asked what he wished to say in mitigation, to which he replied: “Nothing at all.”

But Rae later added: “This has been a wake-up call for me.”

Sheriff Summers told him the messages had alarmed staff and that it was “little wonder they were upset”.

He asked Rae: “Why should I not send you to jail?”

“I don’t know what to say,” was Rae’s initial response before he added: “I certainly won’t re-offend again. This was a wake-up call.”

Sheriff Summers ordered Rae, of Crookfold Place, Bridge of Don, to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work within 12 months.

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