A DUNFERMLINE man who assaulted a male twice his age at Waverley station has been jailed.

Thomson, 23, of Adamson Crescent, also unleashed a torrent of abuse at officers during an episode where police had attended a call at his home.

He previously admitted on June 7, at Waverley Railway Station, Edinburgh, he assaulted a male and lunged towards him and attempted to strike him on the head.

Thomson previously admitted on July 31, at his home address and Dunfermline Police Station, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner which was likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm in that he acted in an aggressive manner, shouted and swore at police officers and uttered threats of violence towards them.

Also, on December 7 at HMP Glenochil, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner, shouted and swore at staff members repeatedly, struck and threw a television, window, shelving units and a sink, causing damage, and struggled with staff members.

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia told the court that, at Waverley, both Thomson and the complainer, who is 50, had got on a train.

"I think there had been some contact with them whilst getting on the train which resulted in police being contacted by a witness," he said.

"The accused lunged towards the complainer, threw out his right arm and swiped towards his head but did not make contact."

On July 31, police received a call from a member of the public at about 4.15pm concerned about a male and female who were drinking and arguing outside and wanted them removed from the area.

When officers arrived, they found a large number of people in the garden. They spoke to them but the accused became abusive with officers.

Thomson took no notice of officers who told him to calm down. But at this stage, other people also needed to be arrested and assistance was sought from other police units.

He was also arrested and taken to Dunfermline station; while there, he threatened officers trying to process him, calling them "beasts".

He said to one: "I will find you" and "I will bite your nose off".

A sexual comment was also directed at another PC. The abuse continued even when Thomson was placed in a cell.

Defence solicitor Alexander Flett explained that his client did not know what the cause of the argument was between himself and the man he assaulted at Waverley station.

Similarly, he did not know why the police had been called to his property in the second incident.

"He is feeling frustrated that he is here again," Mr Flett said.

"I think there is a pattern that if he wasn't abusive he would just be spoken to and that would be it.

"This seems to be something of a revolving door, albeit as a result of his actions."

Sheriff Charles Macnair said: "On June 7, you assaulted a 50-year-old man on a train and attempted to hit him on the head.

"Then on July 31, you behaved in this manner in public where you have appeared to behave towards officers and the behaviour continued towards the police station.

"You have a bad record and you were still serving the second part of a custodial sentence for disorder.

"In my view, having regard to the circumstance, there is no alternative but a custodial sentence."

Thomson was jailed for four months and returned to serve 23 days for his previous sentence.

He will reappear on October 23 to deal with outstanding matters.