A chilly prisoner who unpicked the stitching of his police cell mattress and climbed inside to keep warm has appeared in court.
Benjamin Drummond, who was just wearing shorts, ruined the mattress in the process and has now been fined for his actions.
The 49-year-old appeared via videolink from custody at Inverness Sheriff Court and admitted a single charge of wilfully or recklessly destroying property this week.
Fiscal depute Karen Poke told the court that the £219 mattress was “damaged beyond use” after the incident at Burnett Road Police Station between October 22 and 23.
But Drummond’s solicitor Marc Dickson told the court that his client has simply been trying to warm up after being left in the cell in just shorts following his arrest in relation to another matter.
Arrested man was trying to warm up
Mr Dickson said: “He had been placed within the cell and, in the normal way, his clothing had been removed
“He was extremely cold in the cell. He had asked for a blanket and it wasn’t forthcoming.
“He seemingly opened the seam and he climbed inside the mattress, using it almost like a sleeping bag.
“He was endeavouring to try and keep warm.”
Sheriff Gary Aitken fined Drummond, of Rosehaugh Road, Inverness, £150, but enacted the alternative of seven days imprisonment when no time to pay was sought.
