An Aberdeen man accused of threatening the Queen on social media sites has had his trial delayed after his solicitor quit.
Alastair Peter Dow is alleged to have caused fear and alarm on July 25 and 26 last year by posting offensive, abusive and threatening messages online about Her Majesty.
Prosecutors claim the 54-year-old acted in a threatening and abusive manner at his home, 21 Hollybank Place, Aberdeen.
Dow denies the charge against him and yesterday appeared at the city’s sheriff court for a pre-trial hearing, ahead of his trial next month.
But he will now have to wait until later this year to learn his fate after his defence agent, John McLeod, stepped down.
Sheriff Christine McCrossan advised Dow that he had limited time to find a new solicitor with his trial just weeks away, and asked if he was planning on defending himself.
But Dow asked for the hearing to be delayed to give him time to find new representation.
He said: “I’m not comfortable representing myself in court, I’m more comfortable in the writing sphere.
“I’m not a professional, I’m a scientist, I’m an educated man but I’m not a lawyer.
“The cut and thrust of the court is not my forte.”
Sheriff McCrossan said it might not be possible to delay the trial any longer, but fiscal depute Jamie Dunbar accepted Dow’s motion to defer the hearing.
Dow will now stand trial later this year.
