Killimster man 'deeply embarrassed' over drunken threats to police

A man who kicked up a disturbance in a police station had "drunk himself into oblivion", Wick Sheriff Court heard on Tuesday.

Murray Bain's 'boisterous' behaviour after he left a party in the town, on June 20, attracted the attention of the police, who cautioned him.

The 31-year-old appeared to heed the warning, but only for a short time and he was arrested.

Fiscal David Barclay said that Bain was compliant, initially, but appeared to be under the influence of "something, drugs or alcohol or a combination of both".

The fiscal continued: "He was quite volatile when spoken to... one-minute laughing, the next crying."

At Wick police station, Bain shouted and swore, kicked and banged a cell door, struggled with officers and threatened them with violence, repeatedly lunging towards Constable Derek Fraser. The officers were concerned about his welfare and called in paramedics who examined the accused and concluded that he was fit to be detained.

Mr Barclay went on: "The police subsequently made the comment that Bain's conduct had tied up three officers. What he had consumed earlier clearly had a significant effect on him. When cautioned and charged later he was apologetic."

Solicitor Paul Barnett said that Bain, of Four Winds, Killimster, had been at a party and had "drunk himself into oblivion" by the time he left it.

He added that the offence was out of character for the accused, a single, hard-working man who was "deeply embarrassed" by his behaviour.

Fining Bain, who admitted threatening or abusive behaviour, £265, Sheriff Andrew Berry told him: "The police have a lot to do without having to deal with someone like you."