A Covid lout taunted staff at one of Scotland’s busiest courts by dancing in front of security cameras while refusing to wear a face mask.
Lyndsey Thomson was spotted wandering about inside Edinburgh Sheriff Court without a required face covering during the Covid 19 pandemic last year.
Thomson repeatedly ignored instructions to put a mask on and was seen mocking security officers by gyrating in front of the court’s internal cameras.
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The 38-year-old also told staff she had Covid was eventually ejected from the city centre court building and arrested by police officers.
Thomson appeared back at the same courthouse on Friday where she pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of committing a breach of the peace on January 7 last year.
Fiscal depute Anna Chisholm said Thomson was wearing a mask when she entered the building at around 10am but soon took it off despite signs warning members of the public of the dangers.
Ms Chisholm said: “Over the course of the morning the accused was seen on numerous occasions to be taking her mask off and walking around the building without her mask on.
“She was followed by security staff and advised on multiple occasions she was required to wear a face covering.
“She continued to take her mask off and dance in front of security cameras in an effort to taunt security staff.
“She was warned again of the importance of wearing a mask and not to enter and exit the building without a face covering.”
Thomson was seen “approaching members of the public” outside a courtroom without a mask on and she continually “refused to comply with instructions” from security staff.
The fiscal added Thomson, from the city’s Stenhouse, had told security staff “I have Covid” and she was “finally removed from the court building at around 12.30pm” and arrested.
The court was told there had been no confirmation Thomson was suffering from the deadly virus at the time.
Lawyer Anna Kocela, defending, said her client had been “foolish and silly” by refusing to wear a mask and she had “not responded well to the situation”.
Sheriff Chris Dickson told the lout: “This was extremely poor conduct over a prolonged period in this court.”
Sentence was deferred for reports and a restriction of liberty order assessment to later this month.
Thomson admitted to an amended charge of refusing to comply with Covid 19 guidance by removing her mask and refusing to comply with instructions to correctly apply her mask while within the court building and commit a breach of the peace at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on January 7 last year.
A not guilty plea to assaulting a security officer Paul Smith by coughing directly in his face was accepted by the Crown.
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