Offshore worker spared custody for police assault

An offshore worker from Fife has avoided a prison sentence for assaulting two policemen. Dad-of-three Andrew Taylor previously admitted biting one officer in the hand and repeatedly kicking the other at a property in Cross Street, Dysart, in July 2020.

Taylor and his co-accused, Michael Berry, both admitted another charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by swearing and uttering threats of violence to officers and brandishing a knife.

The pair, both aged 34, appeared in the dock at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court for sentencing.

Berry, who appeared from custody but whose address in court papers is

It is possible, just, to refrain from prison

Cross Street, also previously admitted driving dangerously on various roads in Dysart by failing to stop when instructed to do so by police officers, and exceeding speed limits.

He also pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards his ex-partner by phoning her, going to her home uninvited and threatening to assault members of her family.

All of the offending admitted by Taylor and Berry took place on July 29 2020.

Sheriff Alastair Brown told Taylor, of Kirkcaldy’s Raeburn Crescent, the court “disapproves strongly” of anyone treating police in the way he did”.

The sheriff said: “I will always give serious consideration to the sentence of prison in relation to someone who assaults police officers in the course of their duty.

“You have a limited record – if I send you to prison you lose your employment and your family suffers.

“As you have a limited record it is possible, just, to refrain from prison.”

Sheriff Brown sentenced Taylor to carry out 270 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months.

The sheriff added: “It’s a direct alternative to prison.

“Fitting that in around your work commitments will be hard for you but you bring that on yourself and this is less hard than the consequences of prison.”

Defence lawyer David McLaughlin said his client’s behaviour was “inconceivably stupid” that day and acknowledged it was “distressing” for the police involved.

The solicitor said Taylor did appear to have “genuine remorse.”

The sheriff further deferred sentence for Berry until July 14 for the production of background reports.

The court heard Berry had failed to comply first time round.

ATTACK: Andrew Taylor was given unpaid work after biting a police officer and kicking another almost two years ago.