A DUNFERMLINE man narrowly escaped custody this week – even though he was caught making gestures at a policeman while he was being sentenced.

Sheriff Derek Reekie was discussing legal points with court staff over the disposal of Christopher Taylor when depute fiscal Alex Piper brought the behaviour to his attention.

"Could I ask the sheriff to ask Mr Taylor to refrain from sticking up his middle finger up in court at a police officer," she said.

Admitting he hadn't seen the gesture, the sheriff asked Taylor, of St Andrews Street, if he had been behaving in that manner and he replied: "Yes my Lord."

Taylor, 30, escaped any additional punishment, however, Sheriff Reekie did express concerns about his behaviour.

"I am very concerned at the state you seem to be in and I am minded to put you downstairs to get an examination to identify that," he told him.

"I am told there are practical difficulties in getting you examined and it will put many people to much inconvenience. Any repeat of this behaviour and other steps will be taken."

Taylor had been appearing for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court after he had earlier admitted obstructing or hindering two police officers in the execution of their duty at a house in the town's Don Road at at Dunfermline Police Station on October 24 last year when he tensed his body, refused to walk and attempted to strike out with his legs.

He also, having been granted bail on November 10, 2016 and being subject to a condition not to enter or seek to enter Don Road, Dunfermline, admitted being within a house in Don Road without reasonable excuse.

On March 7 this year at Montrose Crescent, Lochgelly, he also behaved in a threatening or abusive manner which was likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm by acting in an aggressive manner, brandishing a bottle, causing damage to a cabinet, shouted and swore at police officers and caused damage to a police vehicle while on bail.

Solicitor Sarah Meehan told the court: "The root cause appears to be the excessive consumption of alcohol.

"It is fair to say he had difficulty with alcohol. He seems to accept that these offences happen when he had had far too much to drink and he seems to accept he needs some assistance with regard to this."

Before sentencing – and before the gesture incident took place, Sheriff Reekie said Taylor was "steadily going up the ladder of severity of offending".

He added: "Alcohol is at the root of all of this it seems and is a significant factor and I am told that until you address that issue, it is very unlikely that is going to change. You really are on your last warning."

Sheriff Reekie placed Taylor on a community payback order with a supervision requirement of 18 months and a conduct requirement that he attends alcohol counselling.

He also placed him on a restriction of liberty order for five months.