Home   News   Article

Prison warning for Wick man who smoked cannabis during break from court-imposed work order





A Wick offender popped out for a smoke during his unpaid community work – but his rolled cigarette was found to contain cannabis, the town’s sheriff court heard on Monday.

Donald Wilkie’s action, which breached his work order, was described as ‘breathtaking’ by Sheriff Andrew Berry, who warned the accused that further failure to co-operate would attract a jail sentence.

Wilkie (34) admitted charges of dangerous driving, resisting arrest, and a record, in May. Pleas of not guilty to further counts, of driving while unfit through drink or drugs, failing to stop after an accident and report it to the police, and attempting to pervert the course of justice by running from the scene, were accepted by Fiscal David Barclay.

Sheriff Berry commented at the time that the accused appeared to have “gone off the rails” recently, but gave him a chance and imposed the unpaid work in a bid to help him address difficulties in his life. Wilkie was also banned from driving for a year and will also have to sit and pass a fresh driving test.

The sheriff stressed that it was “hugely important” there was no reoffending.

Solicitor Fiona MacDonald told the court, on Monday, that Wilkie, of Murchison Street, Wick, accepted that the breach while carrying out unpaid work was 'unacceptable' and said it had put her client “in jeopardy”. She added that the accused was currently struggling with his abuse of alcohol and cannabis.

Sheriff Berry summarised the offences Wilkie had committed on April 24 and continued: “You were subject to bail and carrying out unpaid work and you were outside smoking cannabis. It is breathtaking! You seem to have a casual attitude towards the use of drugs.”

The court heard previously that Wilkie overtook a car on a straight stretch of the Wick-Castletown road at speeds that reached 90 mph in a 60 mph limit while approaching a right-hand bend despite displayed chevrons and various hazard signs.

He failed to negotiate the bend, lost control of the car, left the road and crashed into two telegraph poles, and was said to have been “a danger not only to himself but other road users”.

Wilkie tried to avoid being handcuffed by police officers tasked with the accident and lashed out with his legs.

On Monday, Sheriff Berry marked the breach of the community service order by adding a further 50 hours to Wilkie’s current work commitment and warned him: “Let me make it absolutely clear, if you don’t comply with the work order, you can expect to go to prison.”

Wilkie’s progress will be reviewed in a month’s time.


View our fact sheet on court reporting here




This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More