A man has been charged over allegedly making threatening comments to an SNP candidate in Aberdeenshire.

The suspect, 66, is accused of verbally abusing Aberdeenshire West SNP candidate Fergus Mutch outside a property in Aboyne on Friday April 2.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “A 66-year-old man has been charged in connection with threatening comments made towards a man in the Aboyne area on Friday April 2.

“A report has been submitted to the procurator fiscal.”

The constituency was won by the Conservatives at the last election and was represented by Alexander Burnett, who is running for re-election when voters go to the polls next month.