A young offender who survived a Caithness cliff fall that killed his girlfriend has been given a chance to get his life back on track.
Dominic Long has struggled with mental health issues since last summer’s tragedy at Victoria Walk in Thurso, where Alesha Wright, 18, plunged 50 feet to her death.
The 27-year-old was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and referred to the community psychiatric nurse service, following the horrific ordeal on July 11 last year.
Long appeared at Wick Sheriff Court on Thursday when he was due to be sentenced after pleading guilty to possession of drugs, a curfew breach, and a breach of the peace.
But Sheriff Ian Anderson, who accepted Long had no money to pay a fine and has since stayed out of trouble, warned him never to re-offend and let him leave unpunished.
Back in November, Long spoke for the first time about rumours that were circulating, claiming that he had pushed the teenager over the cliff edge.
He revealed that vandals had trashed his home in response to the speculation, which he denied.
Ms Wright was treated by paramedics but died at the scene, while her boyfriend was flown by helicopter to Raigmore hospital in Inverness with multiple injuries.
Long spent a week being treated for a broken shoulder, broken ribs, fluid on his lung, a head injury and a concussion.
He insisted that the couple, who lived together, regularly went for walks along the Victoria Walk clifftop path, where the pair fell onto the foreshore.
The circumstances of the tragedy were still being probed by a Detective Chief Inspector, who had been liaising with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) towards the end of last year.
“Enquires remain ongoing”, a spokeswoman for Police Scotland confirmed to the Press and Journal.
Long said his mental state had been worsened by rumours that he was responsible for Alesha’s death.
On a previous occasion when Long appeared in the dock for offences unrelated to the fatal fall, his solicitor Fiona MacDonald said her client was “in the worst mess” that she had ever seen him.
He was sent straight to Caithness General Hospital at the time.
Miss MacDonald told the court then, that Long, of Holborn Avenue in Thurso, had become “totally fragile” and it would take him a long time to recover.
At Long’s sentencing hearing, Miss MacDonald told the court that he had spent some time out of Caithness but had returned to resume engagement with the mental health team.
The accused had completed a supervision order and an unpaid work order had previously been withdrawn due to the state of his health, she added.
“His cliff fall and the loss of his girlfriend have been a wake-up call for him and he is trying to address getting his life back into some form of order.”
Sheriff Anderson, who saw an updated background report, observed that Long didn’t have any money to pay a fine and noted that he had been out of trouble for some time.
He admonished the accused on his outstanding charges, to which he previously pleaded guilty.
The offences are recorded as convictions that will appear on Long’s criminal record.
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Cliff plunge survivor breaks silence over fall that killed his girlfriend amid rumours he pushed her
