A drunk who was found lying under a hedge spat at and then assaulted police officers who were trying to help.
Kyle Miller, from Aberdeen, had been at a party in Buckie but for reasons unknown to him he ended up under shrubs in the garden.
But when police tried to assist the 24-year-old, things turned “nasty”.
Miller, of Great Northern Road, appeared for sentence at Inverness Sheriff Court after previously admitting two charges of threatening or abusive behaviour, two of assault and one of resisting arrest.
The offences occurred outside a property in Buckie‘s Well Road and Elgin Police Station on November 18 2022 after police received a call about Miller.
Fiscal depute Grant McLennan told Sherif Eilidh Macdonald that Miller was “clearly intoxicated” and that he had gone to the wrong address.
Mr McLennan said that the police tried to explain to him that he was at the wrong address and offered to help him.
But Miller began swearing at the officers and banging on the door of the property.
“Because of the disturbance, police took a hold of him but he continued to verbally abuse the officers and spat at them. No contact was made,” Mr McLennan said.
“He also kicked out at them but made no contact and he spat at them again.”
‘You have a nasty record and this was nasty behaviour’
During the journey to the police station, Miller was trying to kick out and spit at the officers and was being verbally abusive.
Defence solicitor Willie Young said: “He had been at some form of gathering in Buckie and consumed alcohol to excess. There is very little that he can recall.
“There was concern for his well-being and the police were trying to get him to a place of safety. It is a pity he didn’t take advantage of their offers of support. He is embarrassed by this.
“There is a real problem with alcohol here which has underpinned his convictions.”
Sheriff Macdonald sentenced Miller to 140 hours of unpaid work as a punishment and placed him under 18 months of social work supervision.
She told him: “You are only 24 and you have a nasty record and this was nasty behaviour. But I am told you are getting a grip of your problems.
“The officers were only trying to help and you behaved in an appalling and violent way. If you breach this order, you will be sent to jail instead.”
