A fibre optic cable layer has been sentenced on a total of nine charges which cost him £640 in fines and 100 hours of unpaid community work

Ryan McFarlane (27) of Asher’s Court, Nairn, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court and admitted all the offences. He was also banned from driving for two years.

Fiscal depute Pauline Gair said McFarlane was stopped in the town by police on June 25, 2020 and smelt of cannabis.

His reading was 7mcgs of the drug’s metabolyte when the limit is 2mcgs. He admitted drug driving.

Mrs Gair also told Sheriff Sara Matheson of incidents in Nairn in July last year when he twice breached a special bail condition not to contact his partner.

When she reported a concern for his welfare after he left police went looking for him.

The court heard he burst a tyre as he drove down Nairn’s High Street, failing to properly negotiate a traffic calming kerb. At the time he had no licence. It had been revoked for the earlier drug driving.

“He was being taken to Burnett Road police station in Inverness when he became abusive towards police when they tried to retrieve a lighter he had in his underwear,” Mrs Gair said.

“He refused to give it up and struggled with officers and damaged the door of the police vehicle by prising it open. The watch of one of the officers was also damaged.”

McFarlane admitted careless driving, with no licence, threatening or abusive behaviour, resisting arrest and vandalism.

Solicitor Marc Dickson said his client had now been diagnosed with a mental health condition which “came as a bit of relief to him.”

He said: “It may explain how he behaves on occasion and he is receiving treatment.”