AN INVERKEITHING man has appeared in court for shouting and swearing at a postman in a dispute over undelivered mail.

The court heard the postman did not enter a property where an “over-excited” dog was running about, having been bitten seven times previously in his job in other incidents.

Stephen Bradley, 40, of St Peters Court, appeared in the dock at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He admitted that on July 26, at his home address, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing and acting aggressively towards Graeme Birtley.

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia said that the postman had been bitten by dogs on seven occasions during the course of his job.

He added that as a result of a number of postmen being bitten, there was a policy that employees were not obliged to deliver mail where they felt unsafe.

The incident happened at around noon when the postman was on his round. “He had mail to deliver to the accused’s address and at that time there was a dog running about in the back garden,” added the depute.

The postman decided not to deliver to that address and went to other properties.

The accused then asked if there was mail for his address and was given it by the postman.

Bradley was upset about not receiving the mail to his door and called the postman a “gobs****” and a “lazy b******”.

A neighbour saw Bradley continuing to shout and swear at the postman and told him: “There’s no need for that”.

Bradley apologised to the neighbour but the police were contacted.

Mr Kapadia said that accused’s wife had previously been told: “She would get her mail as long as the postman wasn’t put in danger by the over-excited dog.”

Defence solicitor Amy Allan said of her client: “He was frustrated but knows his behaviour was not acceptable.”

Sheriff James MacDonald fined Bradley £375.