Jail term for serial Inverness offender who threatened to kill police
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A 25-year-old Inverness man has been jailed for a total of 21 months after a series of offending which lasted a year.
Gavin Hampton appeared from custody by video link at Inverness Sheriff Court to be sentenced on eight separate charges he admitted which occurred between March 4, 2023 and February 4 this year.
Hampton, of Assynt Road, behaved in an abusive or threatening manner towards a police officer in Raigmore Hospital on March 4, 2023.
On October 1, 2023 he assaulted another police officer by trying to head-butt him and on December 9 he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing and banging on windows after being told to get off a bus at the Telford Retail Park.
Two days later, he took and drove away a car from MacColl Road, Cannich despite having no driving licence.
On January 30, this year, he removed and tampered with an electronic tag which had been fitted to monitor him during a bail imposed curfew.
His final offence was on February 4 this year when police were called to a property in Aird Road, Beauly after a report that Hampton was smashing up the property.
He was found intoxicated and slumped at the bottom of a staircase.
He attempted to spit at officers, called them derogatory names and shouted and swore. Sheriff Sara Matheson was told that when the police tried to get him in a police van, he resisted arrest and threatened to kill them.
He was remanded in custody after that incident.
Defence solicitor Rory Gowans said: "He had been living a chaotic lifestyle and using alcohol and drugs to blot out traumatic events when he was younger."
The lawyer suggested placing his client on a community payback order as he had nothing outstanding, and could focus on that.
But Sheriff Matheson told Hampton: "I am not convinced you will comply with any order."
His sentence was backdated to February 5 when he was remanded in custody.
