A Nairn man has been sent to prison for three years for a litany of crimes including domestic abuse, police assault and knifepoint muggings.
Alexander Young attacked his girlfriend – then threw a policeman who came to arrest him for the assault down a flight of stairs.
He also held up two women with a knife and punched a man in his former home city of Edinburgh.
Yesterday, the 27-year-old was sentenced to a jail term at Inverness Sheriff Court.
Last month, Young, recently of Belivat Terrace but formerly of Sunnybank Terrace, Edinburgh, appeared from remand and admitted assaulting his girlfriend Veronica Wiseman on December 26 at his home by seizing her by the clothing, repeatedly throwing her against furniture, walls and flooring before headbutting her in the face.
He also admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin and police assault.
Fiscal depute Michelle Molley said Miss Wiseman sustained a cut forehead, extensive bruising and abrasions to her body.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood was told that Miss Wiseman reported the assault to police later that day and in the early hours of December 27, officers went to arrest Young.
Miss Molley said: “Ms Wiseman made a complaint to the police later that night that the accused caused her injuries and had assaulted her.
“Four police constables entered the premises following the serious allegation of assault.
“When informed he was about to be detained for domestic assault, he became violent towards the constables and, with force, threw his body at one of them, causing the officer to fall downstairs to his injury – the injury was a small graze to his left hand requiring no medical attention and the Constable completed his shift.”
Ms Molley added that during a search of the property a short time later, a total of 16 bags of heroin weighing 7.69grams in all with were discovered, most split into half gram deals.
They had a street value of £490.
“The quantity of heroin considered with the nature of the sub-division of the packages are indicative of onward sale and supply to others.”
The sentence also covered offences in Edinburgh, including holding two women at knifepoint in Spring Gardens near Holyrood House in September, 2015, and stealing money from one and punching a man in Wester Hailes in October, 2014.
He had been placed on a Drug Treatment and Testing Order for those crimes but he breached the order.
Defence solicitor Nigel Beaumont said his client had “got involved with the church” during his time on remand.
“He was introduced to illegal substances that he was not used to when he moved to Edinburgh. He is ashamed and upset that his life has gone wrong so badly and regrets he did not take advantage of the assistance offered to him.”
Young will also be supervised by social workers on his release for another 12 months.
