Teenager turns down the chance of freedom

‘No alternative’ to custody for woman, 18, after ambulance disturbance

A teenage tearaway left a sheriff baffled after declaring she would rather be sent to detention than liaise with social workers.

Sheriff Gregor Murray said, “I don’t want to do this”, before sentencing Andi Russell to 140 days behind bars.

The court had heard that out-of-control Russell, of Arbroath, had to be restrained throughout an ambulance journey to hospital in Dundee after repeatedly trying to bite emergency personnel.

But when a sheriff stated he would defer sentence to allow the 18-year-old to meet social workers she declined, with the woman’s solicitor telling the court she had “brought a bag”.

Sheriff Murray told Russell: “I don’t want to do this, but there is no alternative to a custodial sentence for what I have heard.”

An out of control female teenage tearaway who had to be restrained throughout an ambulance journey to hospital in Dundee after repeatedly trying to bite emergency personnel has been sent to custody for 140 days.

Andi Russell had been found intoxicated in Arbroath and concerned medics made the decision to transport her to Ninewells in the evening incident.

Russell, who was just 17 at the time, was put in the ambulance, but because of her aggressive state was restrained and a request made that a police officer should accompany the young woman.

Depute fiscal Stewart Duncan told Forfar Sheriff Court she made “several” attempts to bite both an ambulance technician and the police officer, but without success.

“She was restrained throughout the journey, but there were no concerns about her welfare and when it was requested that she be moved she was taken to police HQ,” the fiscal added.

When cautioned, Russell told police to “**** off” and attempted to stamp on the foot of an officer at the charge bar, hitting her on the leg.

Now 18, Russell, of Sidney Street in Arbroath admitted charges of assault relating to the incident on August 28 on the A92 and at West Bell Street police headquarters in Dundee.

However, she flatly rejected the last chance given by Sheriff Gregor Murray to avoid a custodial sentence through participating in another meeting with social workers after a poor report was presented to the court.

“You are young and you have a limited record,” he told the accused.

“The law bends over backwards against me sending you to jail and I am going to defer sentence for a week, but you need to promise me that you will meet with social workers,” added the sheriff.

Russell then told the judge that she would not do that, after defence solicitor Billy Rennie said the teenager had “brought a bag” in preparation for detention.

The solicitor added: “On the night in question she had been out with a friend, met up with others and was then being sick and they left her.

“There is clearly a troubled background here,” he added.

Sheriff Murray told Russell: “I don’t want to do this, but there is no alternative to a custodial sentence for what I have heard.”

I don’t want to do this, but there is no alternative to a custodial sentence for what I have heard. SHERIFF GREGOR MURRAY