A nightmare neighbour who once threatened to shoot the woman next door has appeared in court again to face similar offences.
Donald Bain spoke about a shotgun and called his neighbours names during a tirade of abuse before threatening to kill them.
Bain, 73, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit a single charge of threatening or abusive behaviour in relation to the incident on December 14 last year.
It came less than a year after he appeared in the same court for hurling abuse at a different neighbour and threatening her brother while brandishing a knife.
In his latest tirade – which lasted for around an hour-and-a-half – told his frightened neighbour she was a “f***ing w****” and a “f***ing c***”.
Fiscal depute Victoria Silver said it was around 6.30pm when the woman heard Bain “causing a disturbance in his back garden”.
Bain was opening and closing the patio door of his property and causing it to bang.
Donald Bain was shouting and swearing in the street
When the woman went to investigate Bain said “Hi constable, I’m speaking to you” before telling her to “come out and face me”.
Bain then called the woman a “f***ing w****” and a “f***ing c***”.
The neighbour began to record the incident on her mobile phone as Bain “continued his tirade” shouting “you f***ing b****, you b******”
He called the woman and her partner – who was not present at this point – “a pair of f***ing cowards”.
Bain then referenced a shotgun, before telling her chillingly: “I’m going to f***ing kill you both.”
The woman, who was “in a state of alarm”, called 999 and contacted her partner, who returned to the property and found Bain in the street shouting and swearing.
Bain told the man “You’re a b******, you’re c***s” and ignored the man’s attempts to engage him, continuing to shout and swear.
Police were contacted again and arrived shortly before 8pm – bringing the incident to an end.
Nightmare neighbour ‘cannot recall’ incident
Solicitor Samantha Morrison told the court her client “cannot recall too much of this particular incident” as he had taken alcohol along with prescribed medication.
She said he had been suffering from poor physical health, which had been affecting his mental health.
The defence agent told Sheriff Sara Matheson that Bain had no matters outstanding but conceded that he did have a previous conviction for a similar offence.
Sheriff Matheson called for a presentencing report and a restriction of liberty assessment – which means the court could order him to say inside his home between certain hours – before passing sentence.
Bain, of Birchwood Road, Inshes Wood, was bailed to appear at the next hearing in February, with a condition that he not consume any alcohol.