Out of control Golspie man threatened to strangle police officers with their handcuffs
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A young Golspie man’s behaviour was so hostile and aggressive after he took drink and drugs, that police feared for his well being.
Officers were called to Robbie Urquhart’s home on the village’s Main Street following an incident there on September 3, 2019.
But the 21-year-old pushed them, told them to ‘f*** off and threatened violence to them and their families.
Urquhart was driven to Burnett Road Police Station, Inverness, but continued to struggle, threatening to “strangle” officers with their handcuffs. Concern over his behaviour was such that it was decided to take him to the city’s Raigmore Hospital.
“He did not desist in his behaviour on arrival at hospital,” Pauline Gair, prosecuting, told Tain Sheriff Court today. “He headbutted walls at the hospital and caused such a rumpus that he was put back in the police van.”
Urquhart, who was not present at court, previously admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm. Sentence was deferred at that point for background reports.
Defence agent Rory Gowans said that Urquhart had been drinking at the time and had also ingested Xanax and Valium. He had no recollection of the incident but realised he had been out of order.
“He does appear to have had his demons and these appear to have been exorcised by assistance he received at New Craigs Hospital. He has taken the assistance offered by professionals and I would hope this would prove to be an incident that will not be repeated,” said the lawyer.
He added that Urquhart was now in employment with a wind farm company.
Sheriff Gary Aitken imposed a £600 fine and said he would have had no option but to send Urquhart to prison had it not been for the voluntary steps he had taken to address his problems, including substance abuse.
