A man has been jailed after he threatened to slash faces and “slit a man’s jugular” at the Kirkwall Ba’ on New Year’s Day.
Ross Stevens had previously been spotted hitting lampposts and lying in the road where the traditional Orkney street game was about to be played.
After loudly voicing his threats while spectators – including children – gathered in the streets, Stevens was surrounded by members of the public who kept him away from the game until police arrived.
The 35-year-old appeared via videolink from Kirkwall Sheriff Court before Sheriff Gary Aitken in Inverness.
He admitted two charges of threatening or abusive behaviour in relation to the Kirkwall Ba’ incident, as well as a separate charge of shoplifting from a store in the town two days earlier.
Kirkwall Ba’ spectator caused alarm
Fiscal depute Susan Love told the court it was around 12.30pm on January 1 that police were made aware the accused had been “repeatedly hitting a number of lampposts, causing alarm”.
Ms Love said: “A large crowd of people had started to fill the streets to watch The Ba’, which had been due to commence at 1pm.”
When officers arrived, Stevens was handling “an object” and was asked to put it down, after which police advised him to go home.
But not long after this, they were told he was now lying in the street where The Ba’ was due to start.
Before officers could attend, he got up and stood next to a member of the public.
“He repeatedly stated very loudly ‘I’m going to slash their faces’,” Ms Love told the court adding: “The witness was worried he was going to act on this.”
Sheriff Aitken heard police then received a “number of calls” regarding the accused’s threatening behaviour on Broad Street and Palace Road, which was causing alarm.
Orkney Ba’ crowd kept man from game
When they returned to the scene they found Stevens “surrounded with a number of members of the public, who appeared to be keeping him away from the game”.
Stevens “appeared agitated” and was “muttering to himself”.
As officers went to search him, he told them: “I have a broken beer can to slit a man’s jugular.”
He said: “Don’t treat me like an imbecile or you are getting it.”
Representing Stevens, solicitor Fiona MacDonald, said her client had no memory of the incident when confirming his plea.
She told the court her client had a “longstanding alcohol issue” and said: “He appears to have been under the influence.”
“He sees no point in disputing the witness testimony,” Ms MacDonald added saying: “He fully accepts that he is looking at a period of imprisonment”.
Sentencing Stevens, Sheriff Aitken said: “The comments you were making must have been extremely concerning to the members of the public.
”It is perhaps lucky that things did not end up worse than they did.”
He jailed Stevens, of Old Scapa Road, for eight months.
