Man who pulled knife on women in Ardersier was ‘having a breakdown’, Inverness court told
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A woman enjoying a late night drink with a friend tried to comfort a drunk man who was looking upset.
Ethan Brown was invited into a hair salon in Ardersier but startled the occupants when he pulled out a knife.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard that the 20 year old warehouseman, of Merryton Crescent, Nairn, held it at one woman’s throat.
Fiscal depute Sharon Ralph told Sheriff David Harvie that the terrified woman retreated into the shop and locked the door as Brown got into his vehicle and drove off.
Mrs Ralph said Brown was traced by police in the early hours of June 17 last year and arrested but refused to give a breath specimen.
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Brown admitted possession of a knife, assault and failing to provide a specimen.
Sheriff Harvie considered jailing the first offender but decided instead to impose a community payback order (CPO) with two years supervision after hearing from defence solicitor Rory Gowans.
Brown was also ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work and have alcohol treatment, and was banned from driving for 14 months.
Mr Gowans conceded they were "serious offences and the threshold for prison had been passed." But he asked the sheriff not to jail his client.
He said: "He was having some kind of breakdown at the time, he knows he was out of order and the lady was terrified. He knew he had to do something and attended weekly rehabilitation meetings for alcohol abuse.
"His recollection of this is very limited but he is deeply ashamed and is aware how serious this is."
Sheriff Harvie told Brown he wanted a review of the CPO in three months time.
"Because this is such an extreme event, I want to be sure this is a one off. I want to see a glowing report,” he said. “This is an alternative to custody and I am not talking about two to three months."
