A LARGS pensioner threatened to go home and stab his wife in a drunken text message sent to her from a pub.

Thomas Higgins started making threats after being told that his marriage was over.

Higgins, 67, of Union Street in the town, appeared in the dock at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing after the incident in the bar in Inverkeithing.

He previously admitted that on February 1, at the Half Crown pub on the town's High Street, that he sent text messages to his wife that were grossly offensive and that he acted aggressively, making threats against her.

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia said Higgins had been drinking in the Half Crown when he started sending the string of vile messages to his estranged partner.

He was asking for them to give their marriage a second chance. She replied that he 'already knew the answer to that question'.

The reply sent Higgins into a rage and he fired back a string of offensive texts.

One said: “You’re a cow. I can come home and stab you. I hate you. Hope you die tonight, cow.”

He then sent another saying: “Lock the door” followed by further claiming he was “Only joking”.

The depute went on: “She was frightened by the messages and phoned her daughter.

“The accused then arrived at the house.

"The accused shouted, ‘I hope you’re happy now, you have everything. You’ve stabbed me in the back you cow’.”

Defence solicitor Brian Black said the couple had since separated 'amicably', with divorce proceedings now under way.

Sentence had been deferred on Higgins in February for him to be of good behaviour and the court heard he had complied with this order.

Sheriff Alastair Brown admonished the pensioner and decided not to impose a non-harassment order.

He commented: “He was clearly reacting out of distress over the end of his marriage.”