An aggressive serial thug from Turriff has been jailed for hurling threats at a Press and Journal court reporter.
Derek Simpson, who appeared at Banff Sheriff Court last week from custody, was given three months in jail for shouting aggressively towards our female journalist.
Simpson, 40, pled guilty at Banff Sheriff Court to shouting aggressively and uttering threats.
Simpson’s aggressive outburst came after he saw an article in which his own solicitor told a court he had suffered a catastrophic injury and one of his legs had to be amputated.
Storming into the courtroom on November 28 last year, before proceedings had started, Simpson shouted at the reporter: “I have not lost a leg, I want that article taken down.”
During his five-minute tirade, Simpson proceeded to undo his trousers saying: “Shall I show you?”
He also threatened to find out where our reporter lived, adding: “I will get you”.
Sheriff David Harvie jailed Simpson for three months for the threats.
Long record of offending
Simpson is no stranger to the courts.
In November last year he appeared in Banff for assaulting a man at the Tesco car park in Turriff.
In 2022, Simpson appeared at Aberdeen sheriff court after threatening to shank police officers.
And in 2020, at Banff Sheriff Court, Simpson was convicted of assaulting a pregnant woman causing her to go into early labour.