£400 fine for drunk Wick nightclub goer who threatened police
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A drunken man who appeared to be trying to pick a fight with patrons at a Wick nightclub and later fell out with police officers has been fined £400.
Burly James McLaren (28), from Kirkcaldy, was observed "acting strangely" at the Waterfront nightspot on April 9, Wick Sheriff Court heard.
Fiscal David Barclay said that McLaren, who was "clearly fuelled" by alcohol, was outside the nightclub when the police arrived. They accompanied him in an ambulance after learning he had fallen and injured himself.
On the way to Caithness General Hospital, McLaren subjected officers to "a rant' and threatened to kill Constable Trevor McConnachie.
David Barclay said that, thankfully, the outbursts remained verbal and didn't develop into anything more serious. The fiscal suggested that an exclusion ban from the nightclub might be appropriate but it wasn't implemented by Sheriff David Sutherland.
McLaren, a self-employed landscaper, who represented himself, in court, admitted threatening or abusive behaviour and apologised for his "stupidity" which, he said, had been the result of him being drunk.
The accused, of Balgeggie Avenue, Kirkcaldy, was on business in Caithness at the time of the offence. He also admitted a previous record of offending.
