A regular offender and attender at Falkirk Sheriff Court was told his vile comments – which included derogatory and cruel terms for disability – beggared belief.

David Reid, 37, had split up from his partner of a decade – the mother of his three children – and a couple of days after the relationship ended he was on the phone to her wishing she would die in her sleep.

Some of the words he used regarding disability were especially disturbing due to the fact his three children all have autism.

And some of his rant took place as police officers listened in on the phone call, witnessing his alcohol-fuelled bad behaviour first hand.

Police were listening in on the phone call when Reid hurled his vile abuse at his ex partner (Picture: Ian Rutherford)

placeholder image — Police were listening in on the phone call when Reid hurled his vile abuse at his ex partner (Picture: Ian Rutherford)

A sheriff stated Reid’s behaviour “beggars belief”, given he is the father of three children with autism.

Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, Reid had admitted threatening behaviour in High Street, Airth on June 21. The charge stated he contacted his partner by telephone and made derogatory remarks.

The procurator fiscal depute said: “The couple were in an on/off relationship for 10 years and three young children together. The relationship ended on June 19 and on June 21 the complainer received a call from the accused in which he called her a name which was a derogatory term for a disabled person.

“He told her he was walking to the house and called her more derogatory names linked to disability.”

She called police and Reid called her up again when officers were present at the address.

"She put the call on speaker for police to hear and the accused told her to come and pick him up from Bowtrees Roundabout. She refused, which angered him further and he shouted at her saying ‘you just made things worse.”

Reid then went into a vile rant about the woman’s mother and called her more derogatory names linked to disability, before stating – with police officers hearing every word – ‘I hope you drop down dead in your sleep tonight’.”

The court heard the woman did not actually wish a non-harassment order to be put in place.

It was stated Reid, who had spent 16 days in custody in relation to the offence, was particularly ashamed of the things he said to his former partner on the day in question because the couple’s three children have autism.

Alcohol abuse was said to be the “main factor” in Reid’s offending.

Sheriff Maryam Labaki noted Reid, 64 Abbots Road, Grangemouth, had “quite a record for violence and dishonesty”.

Addressing Reid, she added: “You appear with a lengthy schedule of previous convictions and you are someone who appears regularly in court. Your behaviour was despicable towards your partner – given you are the father of children with autism, it beggars belief you could use such language towards the mother of your children.”

She placed him on a supervised community payback order for two years with the condition he completes 200 hours of unpaid work in that time and attends the Caledonian domestic abuse programme.