Inverness attempted carjacking man escapes long jail sentence provided he complies with help orders
A young man who attempted to force a couple from their car in Inverness while armed with a screwdriver escaped a long custodial sentence after a sheriff at Inverness heard he was going to accept help.
Would-be carjacker Ellis Williams (21) was foiled by police who were looking for him because earlier he had phoned 999 and told the emergency services operator he had a shotgun and was going to kill himself.
Williams appeared for sentence today (Tues June 4) at Inverness Sheriff Court via video link from custody to admit charges of assault with intent to rob and possession of an offensive weapon at about 7pm on January 1 this year.
Defence solicitor Shahid Latif said that Williams, of Lochloy, Nairn, told the 999 operator during his suicide threat call that he was doing this because he was a “disappointment to his family and others because of his behaviour.”
Williams is a “vulnerable young adult” said Mr Latif, with poor social skills and low cognitive ability which causes him to act impulsively and self medicate with alcohol and drugs.
Mr Latif said this behaviour stemmed from his client having a developmental disorder and a history of anxiety and depression, but he is now amenable to change by accepting help.
He also pointed out that Williams has been in custody since the January incidents.
He urged Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald not to send Williams to custody but to give him what “probably would be his last chance,” and deal with the case through a community payback order.
Sheriff MacDonald told Williams: “These are very serious charges and I could quite easily send you to jail for quite a long time. It is not the first time you have behaved in this way.”
However the sheriff said she was taking into account he had been in custody for four months, the equivalent of an eight month jail sentence, and told Williams his behaviour was because of the condition he was born with.
She added: “It is not your fault but it makes you behave in ways that are harmful to other people.
“You need to get this help and sort yourself out.”
Williams was placed under a community payback order comprising two years supervision,150 hours unpaid work, undertake alcohol and drug treatment plus the Smart Recovery Programme which helps people who want to change their problematic behaviour.
