A student who rammed through an Aberdeen shopping centre glass door with a beer keg claims he can’t remember the incident.
Glen Barclay, 25, was found wandering topless and shoeless around Union Square shopping mall by security guards – later telling police he “must’ve blacked out”.
He’d broken in to the city shopping centre in the early hours of the morning by throwing a beer keg through a plate glass door, causing £7,000 worth of damage, Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard.
Barclay, a journalism student, told the court he remembered being out with friends but described the rest of the night as “a little hazy” before he came to with security guards standing around him.
“It’s something you would imagine would happen on TV, not real life,” a bewildered Barclay told the court.
Student claims he ‘must’ve blacked out’
Fiscal depute Peter Finnon said that at around 4.25am on August 3 last year, security guards became aware of a loud smashing noise from the other side of Union Square shopping centre.
Upon viewing the CCTV, they saw Barclay lift a large metal beer keg and throw it through a glass door causing it to smash.
He was then seen entering the building through the broken door where he walked to the first floor.
Soon after, security guards located Barclay topless and shoeless while wandering around the shopping centre.
“He stated that he didn’t know what had happened and that he had no idea how he got there,” Mr Finnon said.
When police arrived they noted that Barclay didn’t appear to be under the influence of alcohol or other substances, with the student claiming he “must’ve blacked out”.
Upon being cautioned and arrested by police, Barclay stated “I’m sorry” as he was led away to a police car.
Appearing in the dock, Barclay pleaded guilty to one charge of recklessly destroying or damaging property.
The cost of the damage to the glass door was estimated to be £7,000.
‘I was very shocked and confused’
Representing himself, Barclay told the court that he had been drinking with friends early in the afternoon on the day in question, but had lost them.
He claims he then met a girl who bought him a drink, which caused him to feel “strange”.
“Everything from that point on got a little hazy,” Barclay said, stating that the next thing he remembers was seeing security guards standing around him.
He added: “I was very shocked and confused. At the hospital they checked my bloods and I had a high level of alcohol.
“It’s something you would imagine would happen on TV, not real life.”
Sheriff Lesley Johnston told Barclay he had shown “sincere remorse” and had “no previous convictions”.
“I do not think you’re someone who is going to be before the courts again,” she added.
The sheriff fined Barclay, of Slade Road, Kirriemuir, a total of £210.
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