A FIFE man has been jailed for causing a disturbance and threatening a fast food takeaway owner, whose wife and child were present at the time.

Stephen Swanson, 28, Earn Road, Kirkcaldy, appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on January 17.

He previously admitted that on September 24, 2016, at Zak’s Fish Bar, Cardenden Road, Cardenden, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, threatening violence to staff, acting in a threatening and aggressive manner and placing Nazagat Ali and others in a state of fear and alarm.

Depute fiscal Jane Rennie said that at around 4.30pm, Swanson entered the premises and began shouting at the shopkeeper.

“He said he’d been named in connection with a break-in at another of Mr Ali’s businesses. Mr Ali had his wife and son with him at the time and repeatedly told the accused he would not discuss any business in front of his family.

“The accused became more angry and was shouting and gesturing.”

Swanson told the shopkeeper: “I’ve got a new-born so it wasn’t me who robbed the shop. You’re lucky you’re not outside or you’d get thumped.” He then left the store.

The court was told Swanson was already on a community payback order imposed at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court and had a long-standing drug problem.

Sheriff Charles MacNair said victims of crime were entitled to go to the police without being threatened in connection with the matter.

“That seems to me to be a serious aggravation,” he added, jailing Swanson for 100 days.