The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Man launched torrent of vile abuse at police after falling off wagon
56-year-old jailed after admitting his behaviour was ‘appalling’
A Brechin man who unleashed a torrent of abuse at police during a day of drinking after falling off the wagon has been jailed for six months.
Gerard Taylor shouted disgusting abuse at officers taking the inebriated 56-year-old to the charge bar at Arbroath Police Station, but apologised to the court through his lawyer after admitting he had little memory of doing so.
Depute fiscal Stewart Duncan told Forfar Sheriff Court that Taylor, of Union Street in Brechin, had been at home at around 4.30pm on the date of the offence last July.
“The accused was at the window of his house, there was a disagreement with the complainers and one of them challenged the accused to come outside,” he said. “He came outside and was seen to be in possession of a wooden stick with a dog lead attached.”
As well as the abuse directed towards police officers on the way to Arbroath, Taylor also told them: “Wait till I get out of this van.”
Defence solicitor Lynne Sturrock said her client had historical alcohol difficulties but had been abstinent for around 18 months before the offence.
“On that day he had consumed a large amount of alcohol with friends at his home. The passing witnesses shouted some obscenities and threats towards people in the house, who were known associates of them. “The wooden stick is a walking stick. “He owns that because he has a double hip replacement, but he well understands that it shouldn’t have been taken out of the property in those circumstances on that day.
“He can’t really recall the behaviour in the police van, but he takes no issue with it and in his own words his behaviour was appalling, and has reiterated to me that he is disgusted with himself over that,” added Ms Sturrock.
“He has not had a drink since this incident and is fearful of going to prison.”
Jailing Taylor, Sheriff Gregor Murray said: “I accept you have made significant changes in your life but the difficulty is a dreadful record and almost all of that record has a weapon involved.”