Obstruction and sectarian songs land man in court

A man who obstructed police officers and sang sectarian songs has been ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.

Gavin MacColl, 38, of Flat 1, West Bay Flats, Oban, appeared at Oban Sheriff Court on Wednesday September 9 for sentence. He pleaded guilty to two charges relating to November 28 last year.

He was charged with intentionally obstructing two police officers at his home as they tried to exercise their powers under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

Having opened the door when requested to do so, he attempted to close it to prevent them searching him and struggled violently, according to the charge by the Procurator Fiscal.

MacColl was further charged with behaving in a threatening or abusive manner in that he did shout, swear and repeatedly make sectarian remarks and sing sectarian songs when being taken by police vehicle between his flat and Oban Police Station.

His solicitor Ruben

Murdanaigum told the court it was a ‘very short incident’ and that his client had ‘over reacted’ to the police asking him to leave the house.

Mr Murdanaigum said MacColl, a bricklayer, had not been in trouble since the incident and accepted he should not have done it. Mr Murdanaigum said a report into the defendant had been ‘very good’.

But Sheriff Patrick Hughes told the court the ‘most alarming’ part of the report was that it suggested MacColl presented a ‘high likelihood of reconviction’.

However, Sheriff Hughes said the sentence he planned to impose was an alternative to custody and if it did not work it would be ‘difficult’ to see an alternative.

He imposed a community pay back order encompassing rehabilitation and 120 hours of unpaid work over 12 months.

For the protection of the public from further ‘outbursts’ Sheriff Hughes ordered that MacColl must stay at home between 8pm and 5am for six weeks.