A DUNFERMLINE man who told a police officer that he would rape his daughter has been placed on a tag.

Ross McLaughlin, 38, of Headwell Avenue, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing.

He previously admitted that on June 3, at Bridge Street, 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, swore and uttered a threat of violence towards a police sergeant and his family.

Depute fiscal Freya Anderson explained that police received report of a male acting suspiciously on Bridge Street.

When officers arrived, they traced the accused sitting in a stairwell. They escorted him out of the stairwell and asked for his details but he refused.

When he was restrained, McLaughlin started being verbally abusive, using words such as "f***", "c****" and "bi***".

He then said to an officer: "Have you got a daughter? Give me her name and I will f***ing rape her."

Defence solicitor Ian Beatson explained his client was going to visit one of his father's friends but they were not in so he waited on the doorstep for their return.

"He was not doing anything wrong but someone contacted the police," Mr Beatson said.

"Rightly, they asked for his details.

"They seem to have got off on the wrong foot and he feels they were heavy-handed.

"He was thereafter restrained on the ground and injured to the face.

"He was taken to A&E which may go some way to explain why he behaved as he did.

"He realised it was perhaps sensible to have engaged with the police from the start."

The court heard McLaughlin had a previous conviction for possession of a knife.

Sheriff Charles Macnair said: "There was a threat made to a police officer together with a load of other abuse.

"Abuse in this manner is not part of the job description for police officers.

"All they were trying to do is protect the public.

"You have a history of violence towards police officers – you have four previous convictions."

The sheriff imposed a restriction of liberty order for seven months