A CARDENDEN man who hoax called emergency services about a fire in Ballingry has been told he is a "public nuisance".

Stephen Paterson has repeatedly landed in Court over the last few years for drunken hoax calls and has been described as a "poor soul".

Yet again, he appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for an incident where he threatened to jump in front of cars in June and in September when he told emergency services that a property in Ballingry was on fire.

Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday that as recent as March 11 there was an incident involving the emergency services although it had ended without a charge.

Paterson, 41, of Kirkburn Drive, Cardenden, previously admitted that on September 21, at his home address and elsewhere, he did knowingly give or cause to be given a person, namely an emergency call room operator, whose identity is currently to the Procurator Fiscal unknown, who was acting on behalf of a relevant authority, a false alarm of fire in that he did telephone 999 emergency services, report falsely that there was a house fire at Navity Park, Ballingry, and did cause emergency police and fire service support to attend there in the knowledge that said premises was not on fire.

Also, on June 2 at his home address and Wallsgreen Gardens, Cardenden, he did falsely represent to Police Scotland emergency call handlers that he had lost his mobile phone and that he would jump in front of cars, and did cause officers of Police Scotland maintained at the public expense for the public benefit to devote their time and services in the investigation of said representation made by him and which he knew to be false and did temporarily deprive the public eye of their services.

Depute fiscal, Jade Doig, explained that in June the accused had some dealing with the police earlier in the day and was warned about the misuse of the emergency services.

"At 1.30am the accused contacted the emergency services," she said, "He told them that he had lost his phone and was going to jump in front of cars.

"Police were told to attend and arrived at 1.50am. There was nothing wrong with him.

"He put his hands out as if he expected to be arrested.

"In the other matter, police were contacted by the accused at around 11.25pm about a fire in Ballingry.

"Two fire crews and one police car was dispatched.

"The occupant was woken up and was not aware of any fire.

"They were suspicious of a faux call and checked the whole street but found no evidence of a fire.

"Further investigations were made to trace the phone call which was traced back to the accused.

"He was arrested and his was phone was seized."

Defence solicitor, Stephen Morrison, said that his client still had 59 hours of unpaid work to complete from his last community payback order.

"You will see that the two matters form a pattern of behaviour of the last few years," he said.

The Court heard that Paterson's cognitive abilities were poor and that he had been referred for a psychological assessment.

Mr Morrison added: "He recognises that he has to help himself.

"Almost every time that he behaves in this way he has been drinking.

"He is socially isolated and seeks some sort of contact which is clearly unacceptable.

"On March 11 there was a situation where was taken to hospital with worries about self-harm.

"He tells me that there were no charges but it could have led to criminality.

"It may be the last chance saloon for Mr Paterson and he knows that the Court could send him to custody."

Mr Morrison said Paterson goes to a church group, was looking for work and was engaging with a support organisation.

Sheriff James McDonald said: "There is a pattern to your offending and you have reached the stage where you amount to a public nuisance.

"If you continue to offend you will go to prison.

"I am just persuaded not to send you to prison now but the order must address your alcohol issues."

Paterson was placed on a community payback order with 18 months supervision and 140 hours of unpaid work.

He is also subject to a conduct requirement to attend alcohol treatment and counselling, not to consume alcohol and is subject to alcohol testing.