A Dingwall man who told a policeman he wanted to rip their heart out was carrying a knife at the time, a court has heard.
Daniel Harkness made the threat after he was detained in relation to another matter, and also used racist, homophobic and ableist slurs towards officers.
When he was searched at the police station he was also found to be carrying a “piece of cutlery”.
Harkness, 46, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court to plead guilty to charges of threatening or abusive behaviour and having a bladed article in a public place in relation to the incident on November 21 last year
Fiscal depute Robert Weir told the court the incident took place at around 6.45am in a police van on Station Road Maryburgh and during a journey to Burnett Road Police Station.
He said: “The accused began to shout and swear at officers in an aggressive manner. He was continuously spitting within the cell in the van.”
Racist, ableist and homophobic slurs
Mr Weir said Harkness made derogatory remarks towards the officers and called them racial, ableist and homophobic slurs.
On arrival at the police station, one officer left the vehicle to pass details to custody staff, at which point Harkness told the other: “If I had my way I would rip my hand down your throat and rip your heart out” and “I would knock your head off your shoulders.”
Harkness, of Peffery Road, Dingwall, was subsequently searched and a knife was found within the lining of his jacket and tucked into the belt of his trousers.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank queried the type of knife recovered, suggesting it had been previously referred to as a “butter knife”.
But Mr Weir told him it was: “A knife you would eat your dinner with as opposed to buttering toast.”
‘A piece of cutlery’
Solicitor Marc Dickson said his client, who was drunk at the time, had no idea how he came into possession of “what, I think we all agree, was a piece of cutlery”.
He added: “It is fair to say he was pretty dishevelled and that was the state police officers found him in.
“He cannot recall why he acted with such ire towards police officers. What he can do is apologise.”
Sheriff Cruickshank granted a Crown motion for forfeiture of the knife and deferred sentencing for the production of a community justice social work report and restriction of liberty assessment.
The case will call again next month.
