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Jail sentence for Thurso man who left woman and child terrified


By Court Reporter

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A DRUNK man who terrified a woman and child he did not know by turning up at their door saying that she was going to die has been jailed for six months.

Inverness Sheriff Court heard on Thursday that 22-year-old Danny Smith, of Moorside Avenue, Thurso, had recently been released from a prison sentence and when he was arrested had spat at police.

Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald told him: "I have no confidence that you would comply with a community payback order. Your record is poor and you committed this offence a few days after you were released from prison.

"This was a very frightening incident and the things you said were appalling. Also spitting at police in the way that you did was in the knowledge of the circumstances we face during this coronavirus pandemic."

Smith had been arrested for repeatedly kicking the door in a Thurso street, attempting to gain entry, threatening to take away the child and saying that the woman was going to die.

After Smith was taken to a police van, he spat on one officer, repeatedly spat in the vehicle and then in his police cell, exposing officers to the danger of Covid-19.

Smith admitted threatening behaviour and culpable and reckless conduct.

He also admitted breaching a 7pm to 7am curfew.

Defence solicitor Laura-Jane McFarlane said: "He has an issue with alcohol and is deeply ashamed. He does not know the woman or how he got to that address and this worries him. He wants the opportunity to show he can change his ways rather than to go back to prison."




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