A Hillsborough disaster survivor swore and threatened to punch a female police officer in front of shoppers at a supermarket in Welshpool, a court has heard.
Stephen Doughty, 74, told PCSO Neville in Morrisons: "If you weren’t in that uniform, I would give you a right f****** hiding. All you coppers are bent. You’d better watch yourself.”
He was fined £200 and ordered to pay £100 costs to the PCSO after pleading guilty to using threatening, abusive and insulting words on Wednesday, March 8.
Rebecca Klug, chair of the magistrates' bench, said: "We’ve heard that you were at Hillsborough and that must have been difficult.
"However this young police officer was not involved at all and had nothing to do with Hillsborough."
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Welshpool Magistrates' Court heard that PCSO Neville was standing near the salad bar speaking about other issues with the supermarket manager.
Helen Tench, prosecuting, said Doughty had "without warning" twice told PCSO Neville to "f*** off", and with a clenched fist and threatening facial expression said "don't speak to me like that or I'm going f****** punch you".
PCSO Neville said her "heart was racing" and she was "shocked by the outburst" after not seeing the 74-year-old for weeks, adding that his behaviour left her fearing for her safety.
During an interview at the police station, Doughty admitted he swore, telling officers that "she's not a real copper, she's a cardboard cut-out", and that police "told lies about Liverpool".
Robert Hanratty, acting for Doughty, said: "He was actually at Hillsborough and witnessed first-hand the horrors of that and suffered as many did from PTSD. That’s what he was talking about, really.
"There had been banter previously. He admits to being very dry. His wife was with him, and she apologised for his short outburst.
"He is obviously very anxious about appearing here in court."
During sentencing, the chair told Doughty: "This is too serious for a conditional discharge."
Doughty, of Little Henfaes Drive, Welshpool, was also ordered to pay an £80 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.
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