A solicitor’s attempts to prove her client was a reformed character were not helped when he appeared in the dock wearing a ‘Public Enemy No. 1’ tee shirt.

Hugh Docherty, 35, of Croftangry Road in Kelty, was at Dunfermline Sheriff Court after making threats when he was not paid on time by a publican.

He admitted that between March 1 and 2 at the Woodmill Inn, Linburn Road in Dunfermline, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by repeatedly making telephone calls in which he acted in an aggressive manner and uttered threatening remarks.

Depute fiscal Fiona Nairn told the court that the general manager of the pub received a series of phone calls from Docherty.

During one of the calls he was told of a banking problem which could not be sorted out at the time.

He became aggressive and warned if the money was not paid by 2pm he would “come down and take it out of you”.

Docherty later made another call to a woman who worked in payroll and again became aggressive.

After a further call on March 2, the general manager contacted the police.

Defence solicitor Jaclyn Meisel said her client took full responsibility for his actions. He had started off acting in a “civilised” manner but thought he was “getting the runaround”.

She said her client had been in trouble in the past but had learned from his mistakes and now saw himself as a “role model”.

Sheriff Craig McSherry pointed out: “Your client’s decided to come before me today wearing a tee shirt which says ‘Public Enemy No.1’. How does that go to show he’s changed his ways?”

Docherty told the sheriff it had not been a deliberate act. “I just put this on,” he added.

Ms Meisel said, “He’s not the man he used to be.”

Sheriff McSherry deferred sentence until November 9 and said: “I do understand the circumstances were such he might get rather heated justifiably in being told he’s not getting his money.”

He also told Docherty: “You might choose another tee-shirt when you come back."