Inverness court told Nairn accused ‘knuckled down’ after police assault incident
Police took almost an hour to get a drunk Nairn man under control after officers were called to a disturbance in an Inverness housing estate.
The incident happened in Assynt Road, Inverness about 1am on October 7, 2023 and Inverness Sheriff Court was told that reinforcements had to be called before 25 year old Conor Whittlestone, of Montgomerie Drive, was arrested.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank was shocked after hearing fiscal depute Victoria Silver narrate how Whittlestone abused police and flailed his arms and body around, which caused his head to strike the head of one officer.
The prosecutor said another officer was kicked on the body as Whittlestone was being placed in the back of a police van at 1.50am.
The sheriff commented: "So there was 40 minutes of aggressive behaviour before more officers arrive and his behaviour escalates. It then took another 10 minutes to get him under control."
Defending, Rory Gowans told the court: "Something happened earlier that evening which upset him. He was highly intoxicated but that is no excuse. He has remained abstinent since then.
"I have made it clear to him that custody is a real option here. There is no mitigation for that kind of behaviour. However he has knuckled down to make sure he doesn't get into any further trouble."
Sheriff Cruickshank told Whittlestone: "In my mind, given this sort of behaviour towards police officers, there is only one option and that is a period in custody.
"The only thing preventing me is the Young Persons sentencing guidelines (for people under the age of 25)."
Whittlestone, uner 25 at the time of the offence, was ordered to carry out 225 hours of unpaid work as an alternative to prison and remain under 18 months of social work supervision. But he was warned that any repetition of that kind of behaviour and he would be jailed.
