A man who suggested to a female taxi driver he could take her to an area of the city and get “a cheese wire out” said it was just “banter”.

City taxi driver George Murdoch was found dead on Aberdeen’s Pitfodels Station Road in 1983 – and a cheese wire found at the scene was regarded as a valuable evidence.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard that the woman thought David Murray, 31, was making reference to the murder.

Murray, who represented himself in court, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on October 2 last year on Oscar Road by shouting and uttered threats of violence.

Fiscal Depute Hannah Sweeney told the court that the taxi driver had collected Murray and a woman from George Street and that at a point in the journey the woman got out.

Ms Sweeney said: “The accused asked for the meter to be stopped, the complainer said that was not how things worked.”

The court heard Murray became disgruntled and at one point in the journey said: “What if I just gave you £10 and did a runner?” Ms Sweeney said that the woman felt “uncomfortable” but continued to drive.

She went on to say: “The accused said, ‘What if I took you to Cults and got a cheese wire out?’ The complainer thought this was a reference to a 1983 murder.”

As they arrived at Murray’s destination he asked the driver why she was “in a mood” and made another comment which referenced the cheese wire.

Ms Sweeney said that the woman was “distressed”.

Murray speaking on his own behalf told the court at the start of the hearing that he had been “reasonably drunk” when the offence took place.

He said: “I have no recollection of saying things like that.

“I had no intention of pulling a cheese wire out that’s for sure.

“I hope she is okay, it would have just been banter.”

Sheriff William Taylor told Murray: “You are getting a bit old for this type of behaviour.”

Murray said: “It was just stupid, I meant no malice in it – just banter.”

Sheriff Taylor fined Murray, whose address was given in court as 32 Kirkhill Road, Aberdeen, £200.