Sacked Inverness man stopped while en route to ex-boss's house with baseball bat
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An Inverness man who told a sheriff he wouldn't carry out 120 hours of unpaid community work changed his mind and has begun his order.
Campbell Freeman, of Knocknagael, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court after his initial sentencing on July 13 because the court wanted to know if he was being co-operative.
Freeman had been found on the route to his former boss's house with a baseball bat on July 5 last year after he had been sacked by his managing director. He then made threats towards her which resulted in the woman phoning the police.
Sheriff Robert Frazer noted that 58-year-old Freeman had a bad record for violence involving weapons and the possession of same.
Defence solicitor Willie Young said: "He has health issues which prevents him from working. He was emboldened by alcohol and dealt with the situation badly. His record does him little credit but he is embarrassed by his actions.
"He has been out of trouble since."
Sheriff Frazer told Freeman he was going to place him on a community payback with a year's social work supervision and unpaid work.
Freeman, who admitted having an offensive weapon in a public place, said from the dock: "I am not going to do it. I am not doing unpaid work. I am not doing that."
Sheriff Frazer told Freeman: "I am giving you a chance. It is that or a custodial sentence. I will set a review for a few weeks' time."
Freeman shrugged his shoulders and repeated his unwillingness to co-operate.
But when he returned to court for Sheriff Sara Matheson's scrutiny, Mr Young told her: "It didn't get off to the best of starts but it has turned around."
Sheriff Matheson expressed her satisfaction that Freeman was co-operating and said there would be no further reviews.
