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‘Don’t give me an excuse!’ – Wick man on ‘shoogly peg’ over prison threat





A Wick man who made stab threats to emergency call handlers has been warned that he is on “a shoogly peg” over his chances of going to jail.

The warning was given by his solicitor and underlined by the sheriff when Michael Harland appeared at the town’s sheriff court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to having sent the messages on May 31.

Wick Sheriff Court.
Wick Sheriff Court.

The 33-year-old also admitted breaching an unpaid work order, and a previous record of offending.

Messages, sent from the accused’s home in Bremner’s Walk, Wick, were said to have been grossly offensive, or indecent, or of a menacing character in which Harland threatened to stab a call handler and police officers with a knife or sword.

Fiona MacDonald said that Harland was suffering from depression and was drinking to excess. He felt “isolated in the community” but was looking to get help.

The solicitor continued: “He knows he is on a shoogly peg and there is a chance of him going down the road (to prison).”

Sheriff Gary Aitken said he was obliged to call for a background report but warned Harland: “As your solicitor has stated, you are on a shoogly peg. Any further offending would result in you being remanded, at least. Don’t give me an excuse!”

The sheriff granted Harland bail and continued the case until July 22. He revoked the work order.


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