Woman who was warned of 'significant' prison term misses Wick court appearance
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A young Wick woman under threat of a stiff prison term, if she didn't get to grips with a court order, has missed a court review of her progress.
Bridie Nicolson, who was previously warned by a sheriff that she would be "staring a prison term in the face" if she didn't toe the line, was said to be on holiday when she should have been in the dock at Wick Sheriff Court last Wednesday.
Her solicitor, Ian Breckany, explained that he had spoken to the 22-year-old by phone shortly before the court.
He told Sheriff David Sutherland: "Nicolson is on holiday on a boat somewhere and didn't realise she had to appear in court on Wednesday. She will be back in Caithness at the weekend."
The sheriff, who saw a background report, noted that Nicolson had been seen in Gairloch. He fixed a new date for her unpaid work review, August 10, and insisted she appears, personally, then.
Nicolson was previously made subject to supervision on a charge of reset and was ordered to take part in the Decider Skills Programme and co-operate with drug and alcohol agencies. Sentence on unrelated charges of police assault and abuse and a breach of the order was deferred by the sheriff on the bench at the time, Sheriff Lindsay Foulis.
He heard that three police officers were assaulted during March, May and June in 2022, in Janet Street, Thurso, where Nicolson lives. One was bitten and two were kicked by Nicolson. In a further incident, she shouted and swore at officers saying she would "kick their heads in".
In a blistering dressing down, last November, Sheriff Foulis warned Nicolson: "I am not mucking about. You either change and change pronto, or you will be going to custody for a significant period."
The sheriff went on: "Don't be smart. Don't think this is a laugh and that the sheriff court is about a guy in a funny wig and gown who is a soft touch and you can pull the wool over his eyes."
Sheriff Foulis revealed that when he read her case papers, he had decided on a custodial sentence and had worked out the appropriate number of months.
Laying down the law, he continued: "Custody for such assaults would carry the heaviest of prison sentences" and told a tearful Nicolson: "Let me give you the heads up. It am not mucking about. You either change and change pronto or you will be going to custody for a significant period."
However, he gave Nicolson a chance to cooperate and said he would not jail her at that point.
Sheriff Foulis revoked the community payback order imposed on an unrelated offence which Nicolson breached and put a fresh order in place. It made the accused subject to supervision during which she requires to take part in the Decider Skills Programme for 18 months and co-operate in drug and alcohol programmes.
Sentence on the police assaults and abuse charges were deferred.
Nicolson must behave meantime and engage with social workers. She had previously pleaded guilty to all the offences.
Mr Breckany, Nicolson's solicitor, described her, at the time, as a vulnerable person with issues going back a few years. The accused wanted to stop the sort of behaviour that had been repeatedly landing her in court.
The solicitor added: "Her main problem is that she mixes with the wrong company". He said he appreciated that the sheriff might take the view that the accused had reached "the custody threshold" but appealed to him to give her the opportunity to "stop her revolving door of offending" and consider an alternative to prison.
No indication was given in court regarding Nicolson's progress in the background report.
