Jail term for Groats man who punched party-goer

A man who gatecrashed a birthday party in Wick and assaulted one of the guests has been jailed for 15 months after failing to take the chance a sheriff gave him.

Eddie Macgregor (28) breached an unpaid work order of 200 hours, imposed last year when he admitted charges of assault and possession of cocaine.

The accused was warned then by Sheriff Mark Lindsay KC that the sentence was imposed as a direct alternative to prison – and if he didn’t take the chance a custodial sentence was likely.

The court heard last year that Macgregor, of Heatherbell Cottages, John O’Groats, arrived at the party on May 1, 2022, accompanied by his girlfriend.

Fiscal depute David Barclay, prosecuting, said that one of the guests pointed out to the accused that it was a private party and that he should leave as he had not been invited.

Words were exchanged and “matters became heated” between the accused and some of the guests and Macgregor punched one of them in the face.

Macgregor was arrested and found to have a bag of white powder in his possession. He was taken to Wick Police Station and, while officers were checking on him in the early hours, he spat on one of them through the cell hatch.

Solicitor Alex Burn said that Macgregor had convictions for violence and, had it not been for these, his latest offences would not have been prosecuted on indictment.

Sheriff Neil Wilson revoked the work order this week and imposed the jail sentence instead.

The sheriff described Macgregor’s actions as “reckless and deliberate” and “very serious indeed”.