DIFFICULTIES in accepting a relationship was over led to a Lochgelly man sending abusive texts and threats to his ex partner, Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard this week.

Terry Swan, 27, of Page Street, appeared in the dock for sentencing on Wednesday.

He had earlier admitted that on August 22 at Small Street, Lochgelly, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner which was likely to cause a reasonable person fear or alarm by sending text messages and making phone calls to his ex partner in which he made offensive remarks and uttered threats.

Depute fiscal, Dev Kapadia, said Swan and his partner had split up and the break up had been "fractious" at times, mainly regarding contact of their children.

After sending some texts, he had been asked not to used an over familiar phrase and, at that point, the tone of the messages changed.

He also left a voice message threatening that if he could not be happy, he would take what makes her happy away. Several other threats were made over texts and voice messages.

Solicitor, Sarah Meehan, said the incident was out of character for her client. "He has struggled to come to terms with the end of the relationship," she said. "On the date he had been in telephone contact with his former partner and he was using a friendly term with her and was advised to refrain from using this term.

"The relationship was at an end and it appears he found that extremely difficult to accept.

"He had been placed on anti depressant medication such was his inability to come to terms with the ending of the relationship and on that afternoon, he had not taken medication but had spent the afternoon with friends in the pub consuming alcohol and that coloured his reaction."

Ms Meehan said Swan accepted he had left the messages and regretted his actions.

"The comments were said in the heat of the moment and references to children related to him seeking to remove them from her care and seeking full custody," she added. "There was never any intention to harm his children.

"It appears to be an unfortunate incident which has been borne out of his mental health and excess alcohol."

Sheriff Craig McSherry ordered Swan to pay a fine of £400.