A 64-year-old man has avoided being sent back to jail just days after being released.

Regular offender Louis Curtis was back at Dunfermline Sheriff Court to be sentenced for an incident in which he shouted and swore at a female shop worker in Oakley.

Curtis, of no fixed abode, admitted that on February 14 last year at Premier Stores, Station Road, Oakley, he behaved in a threatening and abusive manner towards a female shop worker by shouting, swearing and making derogatory comments to her.

Depute fiscal Andrew Brown said Curtis had gone into the shop at 12.30pm and was confronted by the woman about an incident the previous day. Curtis responded by shouting abuse and swearing.

In the dock with a top hat in his hand, Curtis told the Sheriff Susan Duff: “I’ve just spent eight months in prison for doing nothing, but I’m still in a good mood."

A solicitor who had been appointed by the court to represent Curtis withdrew from acting for him after his client started arguing with the sheriff.

Curtis claimed he only pleaded guilty to the offence on legal advice and had done nothing wrong.

He then said to the sheriff: “I don’t need another solicitor.”

Sheriff Duff imposed a community payback order with 180 hours of unpaid work.