Inverness man gets chance to get ‘his chaotic life’ back on track with rehab on Lewis
An Inverness man now living on the Isle of Lewis has been given the chance by a sheriff to get "his chaotic life" back on track and beat the booze and drugs.
Michael MacBeath (27), appeared for sentence at Inverness Sheriff Court after admitting assaulting his partner but under provocation, which was accepted by prosecutor Emily Hood.
His solicitor advocate Clare Russell told Sheriff Ian Cruickshank that MacBeath of Island Road, Stornoway but formerly of Island Bank Road, Inverness was in a residential rehabilitation programme run by a religious organisation on Lewis and was "doing well".
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MacBeath had previously admitted that on July 26 last year at a house in Culduthel Mains Circle, he assaulted the woman by punching her on the head, pushing her on the body before cornering her and seizing her by the throat.
The charge added that MacBeath restricted her breathing, all to her injury. He was on bail at the time.
The court was told that MacBeath turned up at his partner's home drunk and with a bunch of flowers. An argument broke out and there was a fight where the woman was injured but did not require medical treatment.
Ms Russell told the sheriff: "He is due to be in the supported accommodation until next year and has been sober and clean since moving there.
"The break-down in a relationship and working in the hospitality industry led to his chaotic lifestyle of alcohol and substance misuse and offending. He has been in seven different prisons in the last 10 years."
Placing MacBeath under three years of social work supervision and ordering him to carry out 300 hours of unpaid community work, the sheriff added: "It is a matter for you to sustain the change that is ongoing. I am told that there appears to be a sea change in your attitude and I will give you a chance."
MacBeath was also banned from contacting or approaching his ex partner for two years.
