A Fife man, who sent a message to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon saying she was going to “face a hanging” for treason, has been jailed.

Hugh Docherty, 42, was sent to prison on the day the First Minister announced she was resigning.

Docherty’s drunken e-mail message was apparently triggered by a news report during the COVID restrictions.

His e-mail rant only made it as far as a constituency worker who contacted the police.

When officers went to his door to investigate the matter days later, Docherty shouted: “She’s going to be hanged for treason.”

A sheriff said that such behaviour was becoming widespread and undermined the democratic process by deterring people from standing for public office.

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Docherty, of Croftangry Street, Kelty, appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He previously admitted that on August 27, 2021, he sent an electronic message to the office of the First Minister making threats of violence and abusive remarks.

He also admitted that on September 1, 2021, at his home he acted in an aggressive manner, shouted and made offensive comments.

Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said the message was sent from Docherty’s Gmail account to the First Minister’s constituency office in Govanhill. It was read by an aide and reported to the police.

The full message, which is garbled and incoherent throughout, read: “Let me clear you keep putting fear proper gamer to people you will face a hanging under Scotland law for treason you better wake up as were (sic) come for all you corrupt take note time ending for you and rest you know it stop with fake bull shit. It proving lieing (sic) cow to people war on in your loss period you know it.”

Two police officers went to Docherty’s home and the door was opened by his mother.

Docherty shouted from inside the house: “Is this about that black cow Sturgeon, she’s going to be hanged for treason. She’s lying to us all. You c**** need a warrant. You’re protecting paedophiles.”

Defence solicitor Martin McGuire said his client lives with his mother.

He went on: “The family found lockdown difficult. He had taken alcohol and was watching a news broadcast about travel restrictions before sending this.

“It was not part of any on-going course of action by him on social media or any other platform. He’s now taken the decision to abstain from alcohol.”

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis commented: “It seems to be the case that people feel, if they are aggrieved and alcohol or other substances have been taken, that threats can be issued to persons in public office with impunity.

“It’s quite clear that the sentiment expressed was not a momentary one because you repeated it when the police attended at your door.

“The effect of this type of behaviour undermines the democratic process.

“People are dissuaded from putting their names forward for public office because to do so makes them a target for this sort of behaviour.

“As a result, the democratic process is undermined and perhaps at the end of the day the government of a country is undermined.”

The sheriff pointed out that Docherty has a “significant” record of previous convictions and jailed him for six months.