Fortrose farmer swore at official in row over environmental scheme
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A farmer who spent over £50,000 on environmentally friendly crops was not friendly to an Agricultural Department official over delays recompensing him.
Christopher Barclay (40) of Boggiewell Farm, Fortrose phoned up the man’s office and left an abusive voicemail.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told he swore when he made the call on January 14, 2021.
He admitted threatening or abusive behaviour after police were contacted.
Fiscal depute Shay Treanor told Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald that Barclay had contacted the Scottish Government’s Agricultural Office seeking grant information for his farm.
“Negotiations broke down and this led to him contacting a staff member and leaving a voicemail,” they said.
Solicitor John MacColl said his client had made the application through an environmental climate scheme.
“It encouraged farmers to help improve the environment," he said.
"The way the scheme worked is the farmer gets the green light and the work is carried out at the farmer’s expense.
“He then provides vouching of the expenditure and he can then reclaim it.
"The cost was may thousands of pounds for essentially environmentally friendly crops which takes carbon out of the air and puts nitrogen in the ground.
“He submitted a claim but there were significant delays. He was recompensed after a successful civil claim.
"On that day, he lost his sense of decorum, which is a matter of regret to him.”
Sheriff Macdonald asked how much Barclay received.
Mr MacColl replied: “£37,000” and Barclay added from the dock: “£15,000 less than I was supposed to get.”
Fining Barclay £940 Sheriff Macdonald told him: “This is your third conviction for behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards someone.
"There is no excuse for doing this to someone who was only doing their job.”
