COURT: 'I have a shotgun too and I will shoot your husband'– camper on Loch Ness admits behaving in a threatening manner
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A farmer who went to investigate a fire on her land got involved in a row with a wild camper who had pitched in a field near Dores.
Stephen Burnside (40) of Esk Road, Inverness, took exception to the farmer’s intervention on July 18 last year and began shouting at her.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard the woman was concerned about the dogs that were with Burnside.
Fiscal depute David Morton said Burnside was told to keep the dogs under control and that her husband could shoot them if they worried livestock.
“But he took umbridge to that as well,” Mr Morton added.
The police were called but the row escalated when Burnside was heard to say: “I have a shotgun too and I will shoot your husband.”
Burnside was arrested, struggled with the police and made comments, Sheriff Margaret Neilson was told.
Solicitor Clare Russell said: “My client wasn’t aware that he was on farmland. With hindsight, he accepts he shouldn’t have been there. The farmer said her husband was entitled to shoot his dogs and my client responded.
“He didn’t have a shotgun but his comment was inappropriate.”
Burnside admitted behaving in a threatening manner.
He was ordered to carry out 240 hours unpaid work and was placed under a year’s social work supervision.
