A man who wrestled a female police officer to the ground and attempted to kiss her has been sentenced to more than 200 hours of unpaid work.
Craig Scott, 46, was brought to the attention of police by Bucksburn residents on April 14 last year after they saw him wandering the streets shouting and swearing and claiming the world was about to end.
When cops appeared at his home to quiz him, Scott bolted out the back door where he was met by a female officer – who he then forced to the ground before attempting the kiss her.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court also heard that Scott had come to the attention of police the previous day when he was stopped by cops and found to be driving under the influence of cannabis.
He also faced an additional charge of being caught driving while under the influence of cannabis two days later, on April 16.
Scott pleaded guilty to all three charges against him.
Accused was ‘making various remarks about the world ending’
Fiscal depute Sean Ambrose told the court the 46-year old was spotted going through a red light by a member of the public on April 13 last year while giving the “peace sign” out the car window.
Two witnesses then called the police after Scott had appeared to be behaving strangely outside the Hilton Hotel in Dyce, Aberdeen.
He provided a roadside breath test that indicated he was under the influence of cannabis, but later refused to provide a blood sample at Kitttybrewster Police Station.
The following day, police received a concerned call about a man going around the streets of Bucksburn “shouting and screaming”.
Mr Ambrose added: “He was also heard to make various remarks about the world ending.
“Officers attended and spoke to the accused within his home address. He was behaving erratically and began rambling incoherently.
“While they were speaking to the accused he opened the back door and fled on foot.
“On the accused seeing the second officer he immediately charged towards her and grabbed onto her body armour.
“The officer instructed the accused to desist, however, he continued to force her to the ground and made a motion towards her face in an attempt to kiss her.”
He was then restrained and placed in a police van before being taken back to Kittybrewster Police Station.
Scott also admitted a charge of driving a motor vehicle while having 5.3 microgrammes of cannabis per litre of blood in his system on April 16 2020. The legal amount is 2mg.
‘He wants to address the situation’
Defence agent David Sutherland told the court that Scott’s behaviour had to be taken “in the context of his mental health at the time”.
However, he also added that his client was “adamant” it was the police who forced him to the ground.
Mr Sutherland added: “He accepts that he made quite an inappropriate remark to the female officer, but he claims other officers then came on the scene and that is when he is forced to the ground.
“But he is very keen to resolve this and he wants to move on and address the situation so that there is no further mental health relapse.”
Sheriff Margaret Hodge told Scott, of Pitdourie Walk, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, she had “concerns” about whether he had accepted full responsibility for his offences, but accepted he may benefit from a community-based disposal.
She sentenced him to 250 hours of unpaid work in the community, a one-year community payback order with a supervision requirement and disqualified him from driving for two years.
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