A police officer has been charged with fighting and threatening members of the public at a north-east police station.
Robert Oakes will go on trial later this month accused of shouting, swearing and acting in an abusive manner at Police Scotland’s Stonehaven office.
Prosecutors claim the incident took place after the 46-year-old was involved in another fracas in the town’s Troupers bar, which spilled out on to Barclay Street.
The charge against him – which he denies – alleges his behaviour would have caused a “reasonable” person to “suffer fear or alarm”.
At a hearing at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday in preparation for his trial, Oakes’s attendance was excused.
However, his solicitor David Adams confirmed his client – who he described as a “serving police officer” – was pleading not guilty, and lodged a special defence of self defence.
The trial was due to start next week, but Mr Adams asked for more time to gather evidence required for the defence case.
He said a number of “important” items still needed to be disclosed, including information from a club steward who had been on duty that night and a copy of his client’s police statement.
Mr Adams told Sheriff Kenneth Stewart he also wanted to locate minutes of a monthly meeting of the Stonehaven Pubwatch scheme, which he said contained details from witnesses about what they saw that night.
Sheriff Stewart said he found Mr Adams’s plea “very compelling” and granted the solicitor more time before the trial begins.
Oakes, of 38 William Mackie Crescent, Stonehaven, will return to court in August.