Trains to and from Aberdeen were halted and a major search was launched after a drunk 20-year-old went walkabout on a railway line.
Shea McGarrell was spotted wandering up an embankment towards the tracks in Portlethen on May 18, sparking concerns.
Police officers, sniffer dogs and fire crews spent almost two hours scouring the area for him before he was found safe and well.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard McGarrell was found on the tracks drunk, unsteady and confused and was taken into custody.
‘Stop was put on the line’
Depute fiscal Ellen Barr said: “At 11.20pm a witness near the railway line became aware of a male within some bushes just past the parameter fence of the railway line. He saw the man run through the bushes and run up the embankment towards the tracks.
“He contacted police and they, as well as Scottish Fire and Rescue, attended and a search was made for the accused.”
She said a stop was put on the line and McGarrell was traced by the police dog unit.
“There was a strong smell of alcohol on his breath,” the fiscal added. “He was slurring his words and appeared unstable on his feet.”
Made threats to his police officers
He was taken off the track, handcuffed and placed in a police van.
But on that journey to Kittybrewster police station he directed a torrent of abuse towards officers, telling them: “Take these handcuffs off me and I will show you what I can do to you.”
He later headbutted an officer on the chin within his cell when they refused to remove his handcuffs.
Defence agent Iain Hingston said McGarrell was actually “quite a decent chap”.
‘He has let himself down’
He said: “This was a night where he, despite his better judgement, went drinking with friends and family and it turned into a bit of a drinking competition.
“He doesn’t remember how he got there, or what he was doing on the railway. He seems to be really quite ashamed and more than anything else he feels he has let himself down.”
He said McGarrell was a “family man” with a partner, a job with the family firm and “a desire to do the right thing now”.
“He has asked me to apologise for annoying people and making their lives more difficult,” Mr Hingston added. “He is unlikely to be in trouble going forward.”
‘Keep out of trouble’
Sheriff Kevin Duffy agreed the incident “seemed to be an aberration” and urged McGarrell to steer clear of alcohol in the future.
“Certainly to get into this kind of trouble in the future is something to be avoided,” he told him. “I sincerely hope you don’t end up in trouble like this again.”
McGarrell was admonished for a charge of trespassing on the railway and fined a total of £640 for two charges of threatening and abusive behaviour and police assault.
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