Drunks cause May Day havoc in county
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POLICE have described the May Day holiday period as "the worst weekend it has experienced this year", with one sergeant calling it "horrendous".
Northern Constabulary reported that its officers were kept extremely busy between Friday and Sunday. This resulted in eight people being arrested and appearing at Wick Sheriff Court yesterday.
Thurso Police Station duty sergeant Peter Allan told the Caithness Courier that stations in the county received the highest number of calls over this weekend period than any other in 2012.
Although eight people were arrested in connection with matters involving drunken behaviour, he said that the number of incidents officers were called out to attend was much greater.
"We have had a horrendous period during the May Day weekend and this showed in the fact that eight people appeared from custody in relation to incidents of disturbances and violence that were fuelled by drink," he said.
"It is not clear to say, or could be proved, if the May Day weekend was a factor in the high amount of incidents that took place throughout the county.
"It could be coincidental that these events happened soon after pay day when people had some extra time to spend their money due to having the day off work.
"What I can say is that it was very busy in both of Caithness’s main towns where officers were inundated with calls about drink-related incidents.
"It would be fair to say that the holiday period was the busiest and worst weekend we have had to deal with in Caithness so far in 2012."
The most serious incident to have taken place during the May Day weekend happened at Millbank Road in Thurso when a teenage girl was attacked by a group of people.
The incident took place between 10.40pm and 11pm on Sunday when the 16-year-old victim was reportedly assaulted by two men and a woman.
The group is said to have grabbed the teenager’s hair and forced her to the ground. She was then repeatedly kicked.
The police said the attack was not sexually motivated and that the victim did not require hospital treatment as there were no apparent injuries.
Area commander Chief Inspector Matthew Reiss said that historically the number of drink-related incidents in Thurso and Wick do rise during the May Day weekend.
But he said that police work closely with landlords throughout the county to ensure drink-related incidents are kept to a minimum.
"In general terms when there is a long holiday weekend we do tend to be busier and this weekend was a very busy one for our officers," he said.
"As far as practical policing is concerned, we constantly work between both towns and the rural areas as and when required."
He continued: "In recent years the number of incidents that we attend can be up and down, but this year there definitely was a lot of call outs we had to attend.
"When it is a long weekend people tend to drink more than usual and, as the saying goes, when the drink is in, common sense goes out.
"There were more incidents in Thurso than there were in Wick, but in both towns the number of call outs was high."
Police are appealing for witness regarding the incident at Millbank Road on Sunday night and anyone with information is asked to call Thurso Police Station on 01847 893 222 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 11.
