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Thurso man given chance to break cycle of offending after hospital outburst





Police were concerned about a Thurso man they feared may have been under the influence of drugs and took him to hospital.

Dominic Long was reluctant to co-operate with medical staff and was arrested, Wick Sheriff Court was told on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old admitted obstructing the police and threatening violence, as well as a record of offending, but was given a chance by Sheriff Christian Marney to escape "the revolving door of his offending".

Fiscal David Barclay said that the police had a legitimate concern for Long's health when they decided to take him Caithness General Hospital on October 14, last year.

The fiscal continued: "Long appeared to be impatient while waiting for medical attention and became something of a nuisance. He directed threats of violence to the police and also threatened self-harm. The outburst was inappropriate anywhere, let alone in a hospital, particularly when he had been taken there for his own benefit."

Solicitor Fiona MacDonald said that Long, of Holborn Avenue, Thurso, was going in and out of consciousness and the concerned medical staff wished to do a rectum examination which "would not have been a pleasant experience for him".

Miss MacDonald continued: "Long was panicking because he said he didn't have drugs in his rectum but the medical staff insisted that the procedure had to proceed."

The solicitor added that Long was subsequently remorseful and accepted that, given he was under the influence of something and was drifting in and out of consciousness, the procedure was, in hindsight, necessary.

She said: "Long accepts that his behaviour towards the medical staff and the police was unacceptable and that they were trying to look after him. At the time, both agencies were stretched."

Miss MacDonald said that Long, who is seeking help for his drug problem, was trying to minimise contact with certain associates and hoped to move south.

She appealed to Sheriff Marney not to jail the accused, who wanted to avoid "the revolving door of custody".

Sheriff Marney said that Long's conduct towards the police and medical services would always be censured by the court and society, and told him: "I am going to give you the opportunity. If you don't take the chance, and given your significant history of offending, there will be no other option open to the court but custody."

Long was ordered to carry out 80 hours unpaid work while under supervision.

Sheriff Marney deferred sentence for six months on an additional charge of breaching a curfew order, which Long admitted.


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