A teen who stripped off and did sit-ups in the middle of Turriff high street, before spitting at cops and shouting “Covid” has avoided a custodial sentence.
Jack Allen had been binge drinking when he threw a road sign and a bin at the window of the Tesco store on Turriff’s High Street on October 2 last year.
But when officers arrived they found the teenager in the middle of the road performing sit-ups.
As police attempted to subdue Allen, he shouted a number of offensive and racist remarks at officers before spitting and shouting “Covid” at them.
The 19-year-old was blasted by a sheriff, who said he was “being a complete idiot” and warned that if he was older he would have been sent to prison.
Allen, of Sunnyhill, Turriff, previously pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, public indecency, and two charges of assaulting police.
Sheriff slams ‘disgraceful’ behaviour
Solicitor Debbie Wilson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court his actions were the result of “binge drinking” and consuming illegal substances.
She added he had no recollection of events but that he was now “effectively wising up”, and tendered a letter from his employer.
Sheriff Graham Buchanan accepted that Allen’s nudity had not been sexually motivated – he was “just being a complete idiot”.
Describing his actions as “disgraceful”, the sheriff added: “As a 19-year-old you lack maturity and some allowance has to be made for that.
“I have no doubt that if you were appearing before me as a 26 or 27-year-old you would almost certainly be receiving a sentence of imprisonment.”
Allen was ‘completely naked’
As a direct alternative to custody, Sheriff Buchanan imposed a 12-month supervision order and 180 hours of unpaid work.
Fiscal depute Katy Begg previously told Aberdeen Sheriff Court how Allen had been seen kicking bins and traffic cones in the main street before turning his attention to throwing the road sign.
She said: “He then began to walk towards High Street where he picked up a road closure sign and repeatedly threw it and a bin at the window of the Tesco store.
“He thereafter removed all of his clothing to the extent that he was completely naked – he was shouting and swearing throughout.
“The area was busy with pedestrians and traffic and the accused’s conduct was witnessed by members of the public, including two employees of Tesco.
“They were sufficiently alarmed and intimidated by the accused’s behaviour that they contacted police.”
Officers had to apply a spit hood
When officers arrived they found Allen lying in the middle of the high street, topless and doing sit-ups.
The teenager then attempted to flee the scene but was arrested and placed in handcuffs.
As officers attempted to get him in the police van he shouted a number of obscenities at them, including calling them “pigs” and telling one officer to “go kill yourself”.
Ms Begg told the court: “He refused to enter the police van and he turned his head over his shoulder and spat at two police constables while shouting “Covid”.
“His spittle did not make contact with them and a spit hood was immediately put on him.
“The officers repeatedly attempted to calm the accused down to no avail and were required to call for assistance from colleagues.”
As two additional officers attended at the scene Allen made offensive remarks and an abusive remark to a female officer.
He also told another officer he hoped a member of their family “burned to death.”
The court heard that Allen’s disruptive behaviour continued throughout the journey to Fraserburgh Police Station.