Pensioner’s gypsy ‘insult’ lands him in the cells after neighbours complain

A PENSIONER was hauled from his home and locked in a police cell overnight after he was overheard using the word “tinks” in his garden.

pensioner, political correctness, gyspy slur, derogatory term, ahte crime, plantPPA

Ian was locked up after referring to his neighbours with a derogatory slur

Ian MacGregor, who has never been in trouble with the law before, was charged with a hate crime after uttering the derogatory term.

He was visibly shaken by being forced to appear in court on his 71st birthday.

The treatment of the pensioner, who was not reported to the police until two days after the incident, was yesterday described by politicians as “disproportionate”.

Mr MacGregor admitted saying, “That’s the tinks got the shed up” as neighbours erected a hut in their garden in Kenmore, Perthshire.

Perth Sheriff Court was told he was taken from his home by police officers after Kelly Byrne reported the comment two days later.

She and partner Sandy McDonald, who both have a number of convictions, were offended.

But Mid-Scotland and Fife Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser branded the police decision to lock up Mr MacGregor heavy handed. He said: “To take an elderly gentleman out of his own home and make him spend a night in police cells does not appear to be in line with the nature of the offence.

“Perhaps in future the police and prosecutors need to consider the circumstances more carefully before they rush into taking such severe action.”

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Kelly Byrne took offence at the word Ian MacGregor used

You can’t say anything nowadays without someone taking offence. Those people are criminals but they know the system

Ian MacGregor

Mr MacGregor admitted making comments of a racial nature towards Ms Byrne and Mr McDonald on December 8. Fiscal depute Tina Dickie told the court: “Mr McDonald describes himself as a man of the travelling community.

“They were in the garden erecting a shed. The accused exited the rear door of his property and entered his own shed.

“As he exited the shed he said in a loud voice, ‘That’s the tinks got the shed up.’

“The witnesses heard this and perceived it to be a racially motivated comment.”

Solicitor Pauline Cullerton, defending, said: “My client finds himself in court on his 71st birthday. He said he made this comment to himself as he went in the back door. He must have said it reasonably loud as the neighbours were 20 feet from him.”

Sheriff Christopher Shead admonished Mr MacGregor. It means he has a criminal record, although there is no punishment.

Outside court, the former plant operator said: “I have never been in trouble in my life before. It is ridiculous that I got kept in a cell.

“You can’t say anything nowadays without someone taking offence. Those people are criminals but they know the system.”

His wife Barbara, 67, added: “The officers were nice and told us that they wouldn’t have done anything about it five or six years ago.

“They took him away and kept him in the police cells with the real criminals. This whole thing has been a piece of nonsense.”

Kelly Byrne was 19 in 2006 when she was fined £100 for breaking a tagging order to appear on the Trisha television chat show.

Police Scotland said Mr MacGregor could contact them to discuss the case.

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