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Inverness police threatened after telling householder to turn his music down


By Ali Morrison

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Sheriff Sara Matheson.
Sheriff Sara Matheson.

Police officers were threatened with violence when they attended at an Inverness property late one evening and told the occupant to turn his loud music down.

Inverness Sheriff Court heard that Ryan Simpson (26), then of Wades Circle, Inverness, appeared under the influence and sore at them, telling them: "It is my house."

Fiscal depute Emily Hood said Simpson then hurled insults at the officers , threatening to break the jaw of one as well as making other threats.

Simpson, now of Macrae Crescent, Dingwall, was arrested.

"While in the police van en route to Burnett Road Police Station on October 6 last year, he was spitting continuously and head-butting the wall of the vehicle," the fiscal depute said.

"He also threatened to urinate and defecate in it." Ms Hood.

Defence solicitor Graham Mann told Sheriff Sara Matheson his client had been diagnosed with a mental health condition for which he was prescribed medication, but he had not been taking it at the time of the offence.

Simpson admitted threatening or abusive behaviour.

Mr Mann added: "He is currently on supervised bail and is doing well. He also plans on taking an induction course for off-shore work which he has done successfully before.

"Considering his recent slow-down of offending, there may be an alternative to custody here. He is trying to get himself out of this type of offending."

Sheriff Matheson had deferred sentence for a background report but warned Simpson he was still facing a possible prison sentence.

"What I am looking for is signs that you are growing up, getting on the right path and sorting yourself out," she told him previously.

After reading the report and hearing from Mr Mann again, she decided against jailing Simpson.

Instead, she ordered him to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work and placed him under 18 months of social work supervision.

But she repeated her warning: "If I see you again, it is going to be a custodial sentence."


View our fact sheet on court reporting here




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