A LONG-STANDING dispute between neighbours has ended in a jail sentence for one Dunfermline man.

Ian Bowie made threatening gestures and assaulted a resident living in the same block of flats as him.

His solicitor described the incidents as part of an "extremely" long-standing dispute with neighbours.

Bowie, 58, of Adamson Crescent, Dunfermline, previously admitted that on August 17, 2016, at Izatt Avenue, he did behave in a threatening or abusive manner which was likely to cause a reasonable person fear or alarm in that he did shout, swear, and make threatening gestures, and did assault a male and did attempt to strike him on the head, and did commit these offences while on bail.

Also, having being granted bail on August 25, 2016, at Dunfermline Sheriff Court and being subject to the condition that he did not behave in a manner which causes, or is likely to cause, alarm or distress to a witness and that he did not nor attempt to approach, contact, or communicate with two witnesses, did on December 1, 2016 at Izatt Avenue, fail without reasonable excuse to comply with said condition in respect that he did repeatedly strike the letterbox of said address, shout, utter threats of violence and utter abusive remarks.

Depute fiscal Jane Rennie said that at 1pm on the day in question, Bowie's neighbours were returning back to their flat when they saw him at his front window making a gesture of slitting his throat.

Later, the neighbours were in their flat and could hear someone outside on the stairwell. When the male complainer went outside, Bowie swung a punch but missed.

They then returned to their property and called the police.

When Bowie breached the terms of his bail, the neighbours had been sitting inside their home when they heard someone walking the stairs listening to loud music.

Bowie rattled the complainer's letter box and shouted: "I am going to kill you".

Defence solicitor Roshni Joshi said her client had served a custodial sentence recently but, prior to that, had not been in prison since 1997.

"This offence took place in August 2016 and is fairly dated now," she said.

"There is an extremely long-standing issue with neighbours and he wants out of that address.

"He would not be comfortable seeing these witnesses and neighbours again.

"He is described as a prolific offender but there are gaps in his offending and he has a good work ethic."

Sheriff Charles Macnair said: "On August 17 last year you shouted and swore at the complainer and made a threatening gesture of slitting their throats.

"Later you attempted to strike the male.

"You were placed on bail and that was on the condition that you did not do anything to cause distress to your neighbours.

"On December 1, you breached that by striking their letter box and shouted a threat that you were going to kill them.

"You have a very bad record and although you may not have been to prison for some time, you have served a custodial sentence.

"You were placed on a deferred sentence for good behaviour and you failed to comply with that.

"It seems to me you were given every chance to behave yourself."

Bowie was jailed for 320 days.