David McWhinnie jailed for abusing MP Margaret Curran in street
A man who hurled abuse at MP Margaret Curran while she campaigned for her party has been jailed for almost a year.
David McWhinnie shouted at the Labour politician while she was canvassing in Glasgow on 28 November last year.
Despite being warned by police, the 49-year-old continued to abuse the MP.
At Glasgow Sheriff Court, McWhinnie pled guilty to behaving in a way which would cause a person to suffer fear by shouting.
He also admitted placing others in a state of fear and alarm by threatening his elderly parents in Shettleston, on 14 December, and stealing a bicycle from Hill Street on 18 December.
Sheriff John Beckett QC jailed McWhinnie for a total of 328 days.
'Lost his temper'
On a previous occasion procurator fiscal depute Collette Fallon told the court that Mrs Curran was out with others canvassing support for the Labour party on the day of the incident.
She said McWhinnie approached them and began shouting and swearing at Mrs Curran.
The court heard he failed to calm down while a passing police car stopped and officers were told what was going on.
But, McWhinnie refused to stop his tirade against Mrs Curran and her group.
Defending QC Harvie Diamond said Mrs Curran's party was quite noisy and McWhinnie lost his temper because he thought they would disturb his mother, who suffers from Parkinson's disease.
Mrs Curran has been an MP for Glasgow East since 2010 and is currently Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland.
She was an MSP for Baillieston, in Glasgow's east end from 1999 until 2011 and held a number of posts within the Scottish Executive.