A drunken football fan was tipped out of his wheelchair during a late-night struggle with security guards and police at Union Square.
Peter Lawrence had hit the drink after watching Aberdeen’s 1-0 win against Dundee United – but missed the last train home to Stonehaven.
The 38-year-old managed to get into Union Square, next to the train station, at 4.30am, but was asked to leave by security.
When he refused, a struggle broke out, during which he shouted, swore, made violent threats and knocked a security guard’s glasses off.
‘Meet me in Stonehaven for a fight’
Fiscal depute Melanie Ward told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened in the early hours of November 13 2022.
She said Lawrence approached security guards at Union Square, which was still closed, as they were allowing employees inside.
He claimed to be an employee of Virgin Rail and so was let in.
Ms Ward said: “He wasn’t actually a member of staff and was waiting for a train later that morning.”
When security staff realised this, they asked Lawrence to leave but he refused.
Instead, he became abusive. He crowed: “Meet me in Stonehaven for a fight. I’ll batter you, you specky b******.”
Lawrence then started to struggle, during the course of which he knocked a security guard’s glasses off.
Police were then contacted and arrived soon after, but Lawrence continued to struggle and was tipped out of his wheelchair.
He tensed his arms, held onto a door, grabbed a constable’s body armour, and attempted to stop handcuffs being applied by holding his hands together.
‘They actually tipped him out of his wheelchair’
Lawrence, now of Clifton Gardens, Doncaster, pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and resisting, obstructing or hindering police.
Defence agent Lynn Bentley said: “The position is he had attended a football match and been to a licensed premises afterwards.
“He missed the last train back to his then abode in Stonehaven.
“He went down to the station and thought he had gained access by entering through the Union Square shopping centre doors opened for staff.”
Ms Bentley said staff would not allow Lawrence, who she said is paralysed from the waist down, to stay there and “became physical”, taking hold of his wheelchair.
Peter Lawrence ‘should have gone outside’ when asked by Union Square security staff
She went on: “Staff tried to manoeuvre Mr Lawrence and his wheelchair out of the door.
“That’s when the physicality takes place. He takes umbrage at his lack of control where he’s going.”
Ms Bentley compared the situation to a fully able-bodied person being picked up and carried.
The solicitor continued: “They actually tipped him out of his wheelchair.
“There’s a physical struggle between him and the police.
“He’s under the influence of drink. He accepts he shouldn’t have acted in this way.
“He should have gone outside when they asked him and waited in the public area.”
Sheriff Graham Buchanan fined Lawrence £320.
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