A father who twice threatened to kill his children's social worker was jailed today.
David Allan, 31, phoned a council contact centre to complain about the "service" he thought he should have been getting from the West Lothian-based worker.
He said he would be "getting a one-way ticket to the jail, and there will be no more" [of her].
The call, in November 20201, was put on loudspeaker and heard by two members of staff at the Falkirk Council-run social work centre.
Prosecutor Robbie McDougall told Falkirk Sheriff Court: "Both witnesses took it as a direct threat to their colleague.
Seven months later, Allan repeated the threat to two community care workers - who had never met him before - who had attended at his grandmother's address in Bo'ness, West Lothian.
Mr McDougall said: "He told them he was running out of options and would follow his children's social worker home and kill her."
He added to the community care workers that he "didn't care about going to jail".
The "alarmed" pair reported the threat to police, and Allan was arrested.
Allan, of Bo'ness, pleaded guilty to two charges of statutory breach of the peace, involving threats of violence to the social worker, who is based in Bo'ness.
Defence solicitor Mark Fallon said a social background report on Allan said he had "learning difficulties" and found it difficult to work with his children's social workers.
Mr Fallon said: "The report says he struggles to express himself and becomes prone to losing his temper.
"On this occasion he's become frustrated by the process and lashed out with his tongue as opposed to lashing out with his fists.
"Certainly there was no intention on the part of Mr Allan to hurt [her].
"He knows he shouldn't have behaved in this way.
"Although he has got a record, and it's not an enviable record, there's no offence of violence [in it] since 2008.
Sheriff Eric Brown rejected Mr Fallon's invitation to deal with the case by a non custodial disposal.
Jailing Allan for six months, he told him: "In November 2020, in a telephone call overheard by two social workers, you expressed your frustration with a council social worker and said you'd take matters in your own hands, saying, 'No more [her named]'.
"Then some seven months later in the course of conversation with two community care workers you expressed the difficulties as perceived by you in relation to the activities of the social work department, said you were running out of options, and that you'd follow [the social worker] home and kill her.
"Social workers, by the very nature of their job, and dealing with a wide section of society. They have to engage with individuals, often on a face-to-face basis. They are, essentially, vulnerable individuals. They have, at times, reason to be concerned about their safety and their welfare.
"I take a serious view of these charges. I'm invited to deal with matters in a way that would not result in a custodial sentence, but given their gravity and serious nature I'm of the view that there is no disposal other than custody open to me."
