Caol man sentenced to 11 months in prison following ‘downward spiral’

A man originally from Caol has been sentenced to 11 months in prison after committing multiple assaults, as well as breach of bail orders and community service.

Reece MacIsaac, 22, who abused drugs and alcohol to the point of being kicked out of both his mother’s and grandmother’s homes, was sentenced at Fort William Sheriff Court last Thursday.

The court heard that MacIsaac, who pleaded guilty to the charges, assaulted his sister at his mother’s home while drunk, assaulted his partner on two occasions while on bail, threatened an ex-partner while under orders from the court not to contact her, and breached a community payback order originally issued in Stornoway.

Defence solicitor Hamish Melrose was quite frank in his summing up of the facts. He said: ‘It has been very much a downward spiral for Mr MacIsaac. He ran out of addresses in Fort William and moved to Inverness where he has been living in various homeless shelters. He has gone off the rails since September with drink and drugs being a major factor.’

It was revealed that MacIsaac’s mother was willing to accept him back into the family home only if he is sober and that she was a much more stable influence in his life now.

Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald was very clear and concise with her ruling, sentencing MacIsaac to five months for the assault on his sister.

She continued: ‘In the case of approaching [a former partner] while on a court interdict not to, I impose a sentence of two months. For the assault of your partner you will serve a four-month sentence; for the breach of your community payback order originally imposed in Stornoway, a sentence of six months will be imposed.’

Sentences were reduced due to his guilty pleas.

As the sentences are concurrent, MacIsaac will serve 11 months in total, backdated from when he was held in custody on November 13.