A MAN shouted 'I hope you die of Covid' at a villager in Luss after accidentally driving down a one-way street in the Loch Lomondside beauty spot.

Alexander Rush drove the wrong way down Pier Road in the village during the first pandemic lockdown more than three years ago.

Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard that a nearby resident spotted Rush’s mistake and went over to explain the village’s one-way system to him – when Rush coughed at her.

A hearing last week was told that Rush later claimed to social workers he had been the passenger in the vehicle, not the driver.

The same hearing was told of further claims Rush made to social workers that the resident had followed the car, banging on the vehicle and shouting at the pair. 

However, none of this had been mentioned in the description of events provided by the Crown at an earlier hearing.

The 33-year-old, of Lennox Road, Cumbernauld, appeared in the dock on August 8 to find out his fate.

Sentencing had been deferred for social work reports after he admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards the victim by shouting, uttering offensive remarks and coughing towards her.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry noted during the hearing that, according to the Crown's narrative of the circumstances, Rush had told the resident: "I hope you die of Covid."

The sheriff added: “I think he is trying to dilute the gravity of this offence in this report."

Rush's solicitor told the court: "He is a man who has suffered from poor mental health. All that can be said is that more than three years have passed since the date of the offence.

"He quickly became embarrassed and shouldn't have reacted in that manner."

The court also heard Rush was currently the subject of a community payback order imposed by a judge in Glasgow for an unrelated offence.

Sheriff Hendry deferred sentence for another six months for good behaviour and told the accused: "Although it may not be the popular image, the court tries to avoid sending people to prison.

“Every other alternative will be explored.

"You have acknowledged, through your solicitor, that you made a bad start to the order in Glasgow, and I am giving you a chance - it might be your last chance - to prove you are capable of doing better."