Fife man’s racist 999 rants in takeaway delivery driver row

A Fife man told a 999 call handler a takeaway delivery driver was going to “get his head shot off” during a racist rant.

Leon Shepstone said he would be “kicking the f**k out of that p*ki little b***ard” if police did not show up within 10 minutes.

He claimed he would go to the Peri-Licious takeaway in Cardenden and “start stabbing people”.

Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard Shepstone, 36, had earlier been involved in an “altercation” with the delivery driver, his partner had been arrested and he initially called police to allege an assault on him.

Shepstone, of Dundonald, Cardenden, appeared in the dock to plead guilty to a racially-aggravated offence of improper use of the 999 network, in contravention of the Communications Act 2003 on November 29 last year.

Abusive calls

Prosecutor Larissa Milligan told the court there was an “altercation” between Shepstone and a delivery driver at his and his partner’s address during the evening in question.

Details were not given in court but police were contacted and arrested Shepstone’s partner.

He began to make 999 calls.

The fiscal depute said the initial purpose of the call was to apparently report being assaulted by the takeaway driver but Shepstone appeared to be displeased with the police response and became more aggressive in tone.

Ms Milligan said in one of the calls Shepstone ranted: “You best send a copper to my house, or you will be going to Peri-Licious and you will be picking me up there.

“I am not being assaulted by some p*ki b***ard that thinks he can assault me outside my house”.

During the next call, Shepstone said: “That p*ki b***ard is going to get his head shot off”.

In the next call he stated he was going to “go to Peri-Licious” to start stabbing people”.

The fiscal said later in the call, Shepstone said: “You either come to my house in the next five to 10 minutes or you will be picking me up outside Peri-Licious, where I will be kicking the f**k out of that p*ki little b***ard.

“So, get to my f***ing house the now.”

‘Utterly disgraceful’ behaviour

When police later cautioned and charged Shepstone, he replied that it was not misuse of the 999 system because: “I tried to make my complaint – you did not do your job properly”.

Defence lawyer Aime Allan said first offender Shepstone had become increasingly irritated as he felt his complaint was not being taken seriously, though accepts he should not have acted the way he did.

Sheriff Susan Duff said: “I find conduct like this to be extremely serious.

“To abuse the 999 system in this way and to use such offensive language in the course of that call is, firstly, to someone at work and, secondly, about another human being, utterly disgraceful”.

Sheriff Duff deferred sentencing until November 18 to obtain background reports and Shepstone’s bail has been continued.

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