An Aberdeen bricklayer who mixed his medication with alcohol wound up being booted out of a fast food restaurant for causing a disturbance.
Ryan Merson became a menace after he mixed antidepressants with alcohol and got himself thrown out of the McDonald’s restaurant in the city centre.
The 23-year-old lashed out at security staff when he was asked to leave the Union Street restaurant at around 8.30pm on December 11 this year.
Police were soon on the scene but Merson, a dad-of-one, escalated the situation by trying to punch an officer and calling them “pigs”, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
Fiscal depute Emma Petersen said: “He struggled with door staff after being removed from the premises.
“Police saw him in the doorway and he appeared to be acting aggressively, shouting and swearing at passersby on Union Street, who seemed disturbed by his conduct.”
She said when police tried to restrain the apprentice bricklayer they got one handcuff on him before he tried to punch one of the officers.
After he was restrained he swore at them and called them “pigs” before being taken to Kittybrewster police station.
Defence agent Chris Maitland told the court his client suffers from depression and has been prescribed medication for that.
“He had been told he shouldn’t drink alcohol with his antidepressants,” he said. “Intoxication definitely played a part in his behaviour here.
“He apologises for his actions on the day in question. He cannot recall how this all came about.
“He accepted responsibility at the first opportunity and is sorry for what he did.”
Merson admitted a charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and a further charge of assaulting a police officer by trying to punch him.
Sheriff Graham Buchanan told Merson his behaviour caused “upset and anxiety” to members of the public who were left “disturbed” by his behaviour.
“This is the sort of behaviour that does cause people upset,” he added. “Though it might seem like a minor matter it does cause people anxiety.”
He fined Merson, of Victoria Road, Aberdeen, £420.
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