A 31-year-old man threatened to set his dog on a Union Square security guard after he was told to stop riding his bike through the busy Aberdeen shopping centre.
Andrew Reid appeared in the dock at the city’s sheriff court where he admitted letting forth a volley of threatening and homophobic abuse towards a member of staff at the mall.
Reid, who has a long record of previous convictions, was told to get off his bike after he was seen riding through crowds of lunchtime shoppers.
He then threatened to get his dog to bite the security guard before appearing to challenge him to a fight.
Sheriff Lesley Johnston described Reids actions as “vile and disgusting”.
‘My dog will bite you’
Fiscal depute Stephanie Cardow told the court that at around 12.30pm on March 24 this year the security guard was carrying out a general patrol of Union Square when he saw Reid riding his bike in the shopping centre.
The security guard approached Reid and told him to get off his bike, which he did.
As he led Reid towards the exit, he reacted angrily and began calling the man offensive and homophobic names.
Reid then stood close to the security guard and stated: “I walk through here with my dog every day, if you give me attitude my dog will bite you.
“Why don’t you take your camera off?” Reid said, goading the man, adding: “Walk around the corner and see what happens, you f****** dafty.”
He then uttered one further homophobic slur before leaving the shopping centre.
In the dock, Reid pleaded guilty to one charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Sheriff tells accused to reflect on his behaviour
Defence solicitor Christopher Maitland told the court that his client “doesn’t actually remember this as it was at a time when he was abusing both drink and drugs”.
“Mr Reid reacted towards this man in a very immature way and for that he apologises,” the solicitor said.
“He now seems to have sorted some of his issues out and is in a better place now.”
Sheriff Johnston told Reid that he had “quite a long schedule of previous convictions”.
She added: “I’m of the view that this type of vile and disgusting abuse to a man who was just doing his job has to be punished in some way.”
The sheriff made Reid, of Girdleness Road, Aberdeen, subject to a community payback order and ordered him to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work.
“You can use this time to reflect on your behaviour,” Sheriff Johnston told him.
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