Former Inverness chef threatens to ‘smash’ police with a pan
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A FORMER Inverness chef who was trying to keep out of trouble by doing handyman work for a local charity has escaped a jail sentence.
Michael MacBeath, of Rosehaugh Road, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court after previously admitting three separate offences of threatening behaviour towards police.
The first was on March 1 when police were called to an address in Caledonian Road because the 33-year-old was drunk and refusing to leave an address there.
When police officers arrived, MacBeath began shouting and swearing at them and threatening violence.
On March 14, MacBeath behaved in a similar fashion after police were called to his home but on this occasion he armed himself with a metal pan and threatened to “smash them”.
On September 5, police were again involved with MacBeath in Dochfour Drive where he repeated his behaviour.
Defence solicitor Clare Russell said: “He is a father-of-three but has lost touch with them and is struggling with this. So he turns to alcohol.
“He also suffers from poor mental health. But he is engaged to be married and has been occupying himself doing work for a charity, giving him a focus and purpose.
“He is different when sober.”
Ms Russell produced a letter from the charity which sang MacBeath’s praises and helped convince Sheriff Sara Mathesion not to jail her client.
Instead, MacBeath was ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid community work and placed under 18 months of social work supervision.
