Inverness cannabis thief objected to being accused of assault
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A row over the purchase of cannabis resulted in a man being formally sentenced to 11 months’ imprisonment at Inverness Sheriff Court.
However, Charles MacLennan (38) of Smithton Park, Inverness, will be released from remand in a few days to enable him to see his newborn child after having already served the equivalent of a 10-and-a-half month sentence on remand.
MacLennan appeared via video link at Inverness Sheriff Court this week.
The court heard he admitted stealing cannabis from a Gordon Bowman on April 13, breaching Covid lockdown regulations on the same day and behaving in a threatening manner in a police cell at Burnett Road Police Station on April 14.
He appeared in court later that day and this week Sheriff Sara Matheson backdated his sentence to then.
The court heard MacLennan discovered police were looking for him after Mr Bowman reported being assaulted and robbed by him.
Fiscal depute David Morton said MacLennan contacted officers and twice arranged to meet them at locations in Inverness but did not keep the rendezvous.
He was arrested later at his home.
Solicitor Gordon Nicol said: “His behaviour in the cell was because he became incensed when he learned that Mr Bowman had lied to police and claimed it was an assault and robbery of money with a knife.
“But it has been accepted that it was only a theft and no knife was involved.”
Sheriff Matheson told MacLennan: “You have a long and appalling record and the only way of dealing with this is custody. But I will take into account the time you have spent on remand.”
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