Abusive behaviour leads to supervision order for Fort William man
A 38-year-old man from Fort William was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and remain under social work supervision for 18 months by an Inverness Sheriff after admitting threatening and abusive behaviour towards supermarket staff and assaulting a woman in the city centre.
Malcolm Watson’s 29-year-old co-accused Demi MacLennan of Union Street, who attacked an off-duty police constable and kicked her on the head as she lay on the ground will be sentenced at Inverness Sheriff Court on April 17 when a background report will have been prepared.
Watson previously pleaded guilty to two charges of threatening or abusive behaviour and assault. They were all committed on December 29, 2023.
MacLennan admitted the assault, which included striking the constable on the head, seizing her by the hair, dragging her to the ground, scratching her face and in her mouth with her finger.
It occurred on the same date in Church Street, Inverness. She also pleaded guilty to later behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing and making racist remarks in the Burnett Road Police Station cell block car park.
The charges against Watson of Lochaber Road, Fort William involved aggressive behaviour towards staff at the Co-op store in Inverness’s Church Street, struggling with them as they escorted him out of the premises and banging a door.
He also assaulted one woman by striking her on the body, seizing her and pulling her backwards.
The second charge of abusive and threatening behaviour was committed during a journey to Burnett Road Police Station when he shouted and swore and made offensive remarks towards three officers, as well as uttering threats of violence towards two of them.
Fiscal depute Adelle Gray told Sheriff Gary Aitken: "He was making remarks like ’scumbag’, ’I am going to find your mother, kids and grandkids’, ’your house will be burned to the floor’ and ’I am going to smash your face in’.
Watson was represented by solicitor advocate Clare Russell who said: "When he is sober, he is a very pleasant and sensible gentleman. And he was not sober when these offences were committed.
"Alcohol was consumed and matters went seriously awry. He is currently on an order at Fort William Sheriff Court and a very close eye is being kept on him."
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Childcare and Education Worker - ARB15733 - Argyll and Bute Council
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