THE former chairman of UKIP in Scotland has been given “one final opportunity” to comply with a court order or face jail.
Arthur ‘Misty’ Thackeray, 57, admitted making a string of vulgar phone calls between October 2007 and December 2015 involving 10 different unsuspecting women.
He got numbers from Slimming World posters and one from a sales advert in a shop window.
After being sentenced in February 2017 to a community payback order with various conditions, he was back in the dock at Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday (Tues) for a review of his court order.
It emerged he hasn’t been fully compliant, and in fact told his supervising officer that the phone calls were “consensual”.
The court heard that as a result of his attitude, he is unsuitable for a sex offenders’ programme.
Sheriff Martin Jones QC asked defence lawyer Craig Broadley: “Is he willing to accept that this is why he’s here? All these women, obviously having made complaints to the police?
“Is he deluding himself about whether or not these were consensual in nature?”
The sheriff added that the order was a “direct alternative to prison” and said “I can easily revoke the order if he’s not complying and impose a custodial sentence.”
Mr Broadley confirmed Thackeray “is aware he must engage fully and make a proper effort to comply” and agreed to.
The sheriff said: “I’m giving him one final opportunity, I expect to see an acceptance on his part, working with his supervising officer and changing his attitude.”
He will return to the court next month.
The calls made took place at his home in Glasgow’s , Edinburgh and “elsewhere”.
UKIP Scotland leader and MEP David Coburn’s office is at the same address in the capital.
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