Inverness court hears Muir of Ord man spat on police officer trying to help him

Police responding to reports of a man "wandering" in an Inverness car park found it was Sohaib Ullah with a wound to his scalp which was bleeding heavily.

Inverness Sheriff Court was told today (Thursday) by fiscal depute Adelle Gray that the two officers called an ambulance, but while Ullah was being treated he became abusive to the police, shouting and swearing, challenging them and threatening to kill them.

He then assaulted one of the officers by spitting on her cheek said Ms Gray.

Defence solicitor Marc Dickson told Sheriff Gordon Lamont: "My client has absolutely no recollection about what happened or how he behaved.

"When he woke up in the police station he was appalled at what happened."

Mr Dickson added that Ullah had been in the company of friends drinking and he believes that later he was the victim of robbery as some of his jewellery and his wallet were missing, and there is the possibility he may have been struck on the back of the head with a bottle.

And the solicitor also put forward the possibility that Ullah's extreme reaction to the police might have been caused by a delayed "fight or flight" mechanism following an attack.

Mr Dickson added that alcohol had become problematic for Ullah but he had been "dry" for eight months now.

Ullah (32) of Logan Way, Muir of Ord, admitted that on February 13 this year in Upper Kessock Street, Inverness, he behaved in a threatening and abusive manner towards the two officers, and assaulted one of them by spitting on her head.

Sheriff Lamont warned Ullah that spitting on police officers often attracts a custody sentence, but in the special circumstances he was prepared to place him on a structured deferred sentence for three months under supervision of the local authority, who will report back to the court on January 11 next year on Ullah's progress or otherwise.