A man who claimed police were “targeting” him after being stopped twice in a day has admitted threatening officers with violence.
Daniel Potts flew into a rage after police on Crown Street in Aberdeen conducted a stop and search on him, with nothing untoward found.
It was the second time officers had stopped him that day, and the 25-year-old launched into a foul-mouthed tirade of abuse.
Fiscal depute Georgia Laird told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened on February 24.
She said: “Officers had cause to stop and search the accused.
Labrador ‘a great support’
“The accused immediately became aggressive, shouting and struggling with the officers.”
Potts told officers to “f*** off” and branded them “c****”, “pigs” and “rats” extremely loudly.
He also tensed his arms and body in an attempt to break free from the police.
Potts “refused” to walk to the police van and, when they eventually arrived at Kittybrewster station, he refused to get out of the vehicle.
While en route to the station, Potts continued his stream of abuse, warning: “If anyone gets a hold of you they’ll slash your face.”
Among similar comments, he also posed the question: “What are you going to do when you look like a complete tramp?”
Potts, of Stevenson Court, Aberdeen, pled guilty to resisting, obstructing or hindering police, and to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Defence agent Alex Burn said: “He was stopped by the police earlier, prior to this. He takes the view he’s targeted by the police.
“He was stopped and let on his way, then other officers carry out a search, in which nothing was found, and he becomes animated clearly.”
‘When he has a drink in him he becomes Mr Hyde’
Mr Burn said his client couldn’t remember much of the incident due to the amount of alcohol he had consumed.
The solicitor said Potts lives alone with a Labrador which was “a great support” to him as he was a “loner” and had struggled during the Covid lockdowns.
Mr Burn went on: “Alcohol has been problematic for him for many years. He started drinking alcohol when he was 13.
“He’s somewhat of a Jekyll and Hyde character.
“When he’s sober he’s Dr Jekyll and when he has a drink in him he becomes Mr Hyde.”
Urging the sheriff not to impose a prison sentence on Potts, Mr Burn said: “The Labrador is helping his mental health, but if he goes to prison there will be no dog.”
Sheriff Ian Wallace imposed a year’s supervision and 80 hours of unpaid work as a direct alternative to custody.
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