A man sentenced to 18 months in jail last month after he cruelly taped a man to his own mobility scooter could be free in a matter of weeks.
Calvin Gallon’s jail term was backdated to July 2022, the date of the horrific incident in which John Tweed was bound up outside his home in Macduff.
At the time his earliest release date was May 2023 – but that could now be cut even shorter, with the suggestion he might be released on an electronic tag in March.
Mr Tweed, who is disabled from the waist down and suffers from arthritis, hit out at the news his attacker might be freed early saying: “The law stinks.”
But he warned his tormentor: “If he comes near me, he’s in trouble. I might be disabled from the waist down, but upstairs I’m very handy.”
Gallon, while acting alongside Callum Swaffield, 18, threw a bed sheet over Mr Tweed and taped him to his mobility scooter, claiming the act was inspired by a TV prank show.
The nasty pair tried to spell out “I am a paedo” in tape on the sheet as the disabled man sat bound and terrified.
Mr Tweed told The Press and Journal afterwards how his head and body were tightly wrapped in tape and he feared the pair would set him on fire.
Drunkenly damaged car with bottle
News of his potential early release emerged after Gallon, 23, appeared in Banff Sheriff Court this week to admit hurling a glass bottle at a stranger’s car in Macduff town centre.
Fiscal depute Nicole Lewis told the court how on February 21 last year at around 10pm Gallon was seen staggering around the middle of the road in Watts Lane in Macduff at 10pm.
“Someone became aware of him in the middle of the road and clearly under the influence of alcohol so slowed down to check on his welfare,” the fiscal said.
“He was later observed to go to a parked vehicle with a glass bottle and strike the vehicle on the near side window causing scratch damage to the vehicle valued at £200.”
The court heard Gallon has no recollection of damaging the green Seat, nor did he know its owner. But he accepted his guilt after being made aware of CCTV footage capturing his actions.
Gallon, a prisoner at HMP Grampian was not present when his case called but his solicitor Iain Jane explained his situation on his behalf.
“He is currently serving an 18-month sentence imposed on December 1 2022 and backdated so his earliest release date is mid-May 2023,” Mr Jane said.
“However he advises me he is potentially going to be okay for a tag for early release in March but had this outstanding case.”
A condition of that early release is that he must find somewhere to live first.
Sheriff David Harvie said Gallon, usually of Tocher Street, Macduff, but currently a prisoner of HMP Grampian in Peterhead, had a “bad record”.
He imposed a fine of £320 which Gallon sought no time to pay, meaning he’ll serve the alternative of 14 extra days in prison.
On being told the news that his attacker might be due for early release, Mr Tweed said: “That’s bad. The law stinks.
“God knows where he’s going to go.
“I didn’t think he would serve the full 18 months.
“But think, if you’re given an 18-month sentence, you should serve the whole 18 months.”
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