Fugitive grabbed Inverness cop by the testicles

A CRIMINAL with a record spanning over two decades was jailed by a sheriff for grabbing a police officer by his testicles.

Inverness Sheriff Court on Wednesday officers of Northern Constabulary were called to Telford Road in the city when two men wearing dark clothing were reported to be acting suspiciously after midnight on January 15.

One of the men walked off and was detained under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

But John Ryan (39) of Madras Court, Inverness, ran off and was spotted hiding behind a car by constable Stephen Morrison.

Depute Fiscal David Bernard said PC Morrison took hold of Ryan by the arms but he struggled and grabbed the officer by the testicles, squeezing them.

Mr Bernard said PC Morrison had to use CS spray but Ryan continued to struggle with him and PC Morrison’s colleague Halde Pottinger, shouting and swearing and threatening them as he was placed in a police van.

Ryan admitted resisting, obstructing and molesting the officers and struggling violently with them, seizing hold of PC Morrison by the testicles, squeezing them and pulling them. He also admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner by shouting threats.

Alison Foggo, solicitor for Ryan, said he was unemployed and had been in custody since January 16.

“From his perspective he took umbrage at the police interest in him,” the solicitor said, adding he was still having to use cream on his face because of the CS spray.

“Although he accepts the police actions were lawful, they were mistaken and he has over-reacted.

“He has little recall of what he was shouting because he was so stunned by the use of the CS spray.”

Sheriff Andrew Berry told Ryan: ”You have many and varied previous convictions going back over two decades including serious acts of violence. Custody is the only option.”

He jailed Ryan, who was already serving community service, for 189 days.