Elgin man admits aggressive behaviour

A man who launched an unprovoked verbal assault on a couple has been placed under court supervision for the next 12 months.

Elgin Sheriff Court heard that David Collins began to shout and swear at the couple as they were walking along Lossiemouth Road in Elgin with their young children.

Collins said to the father: "Have you got a problem with me?"

At one point, the 59-year challenged the father to a fight.

When Collins was stopped by the police later that same day – March 21 last year – he said: "It was me. But I walked away and didn't do it in front of the kids."

Collins' lawyer, Grant Daglish, stated that his client had been the focus of some taunting in the weeks and months leading up to the offence.

However, the defence solicitor added that the victims had not been the ones to blame and should not have been targeted.

Collins, who lives on Covesea Road, Elgin, admitted one charge of acting in a threatening and abusive manner likely to cause a reasonable people to suffer fear and alarm.

Passing sentence, sheriff Paul Reid said: "These are people who have helped you in the past. You subjected them to conduct which was entirely unacceptable."

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