Strathearn Herald

Man urinated on child then ran amok on A9

- GORDON CURRIE

A topless man brought the A9 dual carriagewa­y to a standstill by staggering drunkenly across the road to berate a flock of sheep.

Thomas Degnan hurled abuse at the sheep after collapsing in the central reservatio­n as numerous drivers were forced to swerve or stop to avoid hitting him.

The 42 year- old also urinated on the side of a car and then opened the vehicle door and continued to do so onto a young boy sitting in the back.

Perth Sheriff Court was told that Degnan was so drunk that he had no recollecti­on of the incident or why he decided to target a field full of sheep.

Sheriff Francis Gill said: “Your behaviour during this incident was appalling. It is likely to have caused trauma to the children involved.

“It is also good fortune that your actions did not cause harm to drivers who had to swerve to avoid you. You have no recollecti­on of the incident because you were drunk. That’s no excuse.”

Fiscal depute Bill Kermode told the court Degnan had stormed out of his car after an argument while at the Loaninghea­d Filling Station near Gleneagles.

“Staff at the filling station contacted police because he was shouting. He went to the rear of a car and urinated.

“Whilst continuing to urinate he walked round and opened a door,” Mr Kermode said.

Degnan urinated on the shocked child in the car and the vehicle was driven away. Degnan then staggered into the petrol station shop.

“It became obvious he was under the influence. He was shouting incoherent­ly before returning to the forecourt,” Mr Kermode said.

“He then stumbled onto the A9, causing vehicles to swerve, slow down and stop. He made his way to the central reservatio­n before falling to the ground.

“He then stood up and began crossing back to the filling station. He again caused vehicles to take evasive action. A staff member began to signal drivers to slow down to avoid an accident.

“The police attended and found the accused topless and shouting at sheep. He was extremely under the influence and struggled to walk and speak to the police.”

When he was quizzed about his bizarre behaviour, Degnan said: “I don’t remember.”

Degnan, from Cranhill, Glasgow, admitted acting in a threatenin­g or abusive manner at the filling station, on the A9 near the Gleneagles slip road and in an adjacent field on 28 May last year.

Degnan admitted causing fear or alarm by repeatedly shouting and swearing and repeatedly striking the window of a vehicle occupied by a woman and a boy.

He admitted urinating on the car and then opening the door and urinating into it and onto the boy before staggering onto the A9 while he was not wearing a top.

The charge states that Degnan “forced vehicles to take evasive action” to avoid hitting him and that “whilst he was topless he did shout at sheep”.

Degnan admitted a second charge of assaulting the boy by urinating on him, and a third charge of “urinating in circumstan­ces likely to cause annoyance to others”.

Solicitor Pauline Cullerton, defending, said: “He has not consumed any alcohol since this. He has no recollecti­on of the offence due to his level of intoxicati­on.

She said: “He is very fortunate and thankful that no members of the public were injured as a result and he is very lucky he was not injured, given that he has crossed a very busy dual carriagewa­y.”

Sheriff Gill ordered Degnan to carry out 150 hours unpaid work and placed him under social work supervisio­n for 12 months.

Your behaviour during this incident was appalling Sheriff Francis Gill

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 ?? ?? Disturbanc­e Loaninghea­d Filling Station, on the A9 near the Gleneagles slip road near where Degnan hurled abuse at a flock of sheep
Disturbanc­e Loaninghea­d Filling Station, on the A9 near the Gleneagles slip road near where Degnan hurled abuse at a flock of sheep

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