BACKGROUND reports have been ordered into a 31-year-old man who was abusive to police officers.

Matthew Fogarty pleaded guilty at Selkirk Sheriff Court to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting and swearing and uttering offensive comments towards the officers in a police van in Kingsmeadows Road, Peebles, and at Hawick Police Station on January 23.

The offence was aggravated by comments of sexual orientation, religious prejudice and racial prejudice.

Fogarty, of The Wirral, also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at his ex-partner's house in Peebles by attending uninvited, acting aggressively, uttering a threat to damage property.

Sheriff Janys Scott called for the production of a Criminal Justice Social Work Report and a Restriction of Liberty Order assessment and deferred sentence until January 9 when the imposition of a Non-Harassment Order involving his former partner will also be considered.

Fogarty pleaded not guilty to a charge of being in possession of a bladed article and a trial date was set for February 21.