Community order for outburst in police van

A Perth man who repeatedly banged his head off the walls and door of a police van - and then stood up and relieved himself inside the vehicle - was spared jail last week.

Instead, 47-year-old Darren Oakes, now of Potterhill Gardens, had a two-year community payback order imposed at Perth Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

He will be supervised for two years and undergo alcohol treatment during that time.

Sheriff Gillian Wade noted: “You have appeared before every sheriff in this jurisdiction - many, many times.

“But you are making some inroads into your alcohol problem which results in your court appearances.”

He admitted that on April 16, 2020, at his former home in Perth’s Leslie Court, he repeatedly made offensive comments towards David Doig and falsely claimed to police that he had threatened him with a baseball bat.

Then, while being taken to Dundee Police HQ, he banged his head off the walls and door of the rear cage area and then urinated over the inside of the vehicle.

He was subject to a February 21, 2020, bail order from the Perth court at the time.

Oakes was acquitted, however, of a separate charge of spitting in Mr Doig’s face at a house in Leslie Court on May 16, 2020 - and then claiming he was infected with coronavirus. The jury returned a not proven verdict.

Oakes, who admitted seven pages of previous convictions, will have his progress on the order reviewed on August 11.