Man tells police: ‘I’m not going to make this easy for you’
As a police officer tried to put a 36-yearold Campbeltown man in handcuffs to arrest him, he told them: ‘I am not going to make this easy for you’.
Robert Graham, of 64 Ralston Road, was before last week’s sitting of the town’s sheriff court, charged with being threatening and abusive on two separate occasions, and also at the town’s police station and while being transported in a police vehicle.
The first incident took place on October 1, 2020 at Harvey’s Lane, Campbeltown, when he acted aggressively, shouted, swore, struck a door there, approached police and attempted to film them on his mobile phone, refused to leave the premises and desist when requested; he then went on to threaten the officers and others present with violence.
The second incident happened on
November 14, 2020 and on into the following day. He acted aggressively at the Kinloch Bar, Campbeltown, shouted, swore and made homophobic remarks to police, refused to stop when asked and struggled with one police officer, injuring him.
After, at Campbeltown Police Station, and when being transported in a police vehicle, he continued to be aggressive, shout, repeatedly utter homophobic remarks and threats of violence towards police officers.
Graham admitted all three offences. Procurator fiscal depute James Dunbar said that police officers had cause to attend a party at premises on Harvey’s Lane and, when asked to leave, Graham became aggressive.
When charged, he said: ‘I do apologise officers.’
When police went to the Kinloch Bar, Graham said to the police: ‘How the **** did you get in here? I locked the door myself.’ And then told them: ‘We’re having a meeting.’
The fiscal said that, during the incident, an officer tried to apply handcuffs to Graham and he told them: ‘I am not going to make this easy for you.’
Mr Dunbar added that Graham injured both himself and the officer and eventually Graham was ‘put into the prone position to take control of him’.
The officer had cuts and abrasions on his hand.
When at the police station and in the back of a police vehicle, Graham made homophobic remarks about a female officer and told the male officer: ‘I will smash your nose through your skull.’
Sheriff Patrick Hughes called for Criminal Justice Social Work and Restriction of Liberty Order reports to be prepared on Graham and the case will be before the court again on March 31. At this time, defence agent Graeme Wright will address the court on Graham’s behalf.
Mr Wright told the sheriff that Graham had suffered bereavement.
‘This happened at a very bad time for him,’ he said, ‘a spiral of behaviour against a background of Covid.’