Jail for man after stand-off with police in Inverness
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A 23-year-old Inverness man who sparked a major police operation in November last year has been jailed for 10 months.
Inverness Sheriff Court had been previously told that police were called to an Inverness scenic viewpoint after a man wielding a metal pole assaulted a passing motorist who had got out of his car to challenge his attacker.
Gavin Hampton was intoxicated at around 10.40am on November 2 last year in Kessock Road and at Kessock Point when the incident began.
It resulted in six police vehicles and an ambulance being called to the scene to deal with Hampton who had entered the firth to begin a short stand-off with officers.
However fiscal depute Robert Weir said that when Hampton, described as an Inverness prisoner, was arrested, he attempted to spit and coughed towards police officers as he was being restrained.
Hampton appeared from custody before Sheriff Margaret Neilson and admitted threatening behaviour, assault to severe injury and culpable and reckless conduct.
The court heard that Hampton was first seen walking down the middle of Kessock Road, shouting and swearing and challenging people to fight.
Mr Weir said: “One motorist turned round at a roundabout to go back up Kessock Road and Hampton threw his mobile phone at it [the vehicle] and struck it. The driver got out to challenge Hampton who had a metal pole but was head-butted. He fell to the ground and broke his ankle.”
The prosecutor then said Hampton entered the water but was talked out by police, adding: “As he was being led to the van, he prepared to spit towards officers and then coughed but was restrained.”
However his threatening behaviour towards police continued, Mr Weir added.
Defence solicitor Rory Gowans said his client “has been essentially a model prisoner since his remand. He is set to be moved to another wing where more privileges will be afforded to him. He is regarded as a trusted inmate and when his sentence is complete, he hopes to put this type of behaviour behind him.”
Mr Gowans said that Hampton had taken drink and drugs that day “and it triggered a completely irrational response”.
“The broken ankle came as a result of the head-butt causing him to fall into a pothole. When he went into the firth, he submerged a couple of times and that was why he was coughing and spitting.
“He has some demons but he has been addressing them in prison.”
