An Aberdeen man’s boozy birthday bash ended in jail after he chased Union Street shoppers with a purple rubber penis.
Michael Morrice had removed his top when he began larking around with the rudely shaped “stress toy” on a Monday afternoon in front of numerous members of the public, including children.
Morrice was celebrating his 45th birthday with friends when he held the toy to his crotch and pursued passers-by, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
The alarming city centre sight left a young girl in tears and her mother was forced to hurry away and call the police.
Fiscal depute Claire Stewart said the incident happened around 4.30pm on August 14 on Union Street close to the Vue cinema.
She said a mum was walking with her two children, aged 8 and 10, when she spotted Morrice who was topless and “appeared intoxicated”.
‘It was his birthday and he had been drinking with associates’
The woman then realised Morrice was holding an item the “general shape of a penis” to the crotch area of his jeans.
Ms Stewart said: “She believed it was perhaps a sex toy. Her daughter also saw the accused with the item and became upset as a result.
“They left the area and called the police.
“Police attended and traced the accused who was cautioned and arrested.
“In his possession a was a purple rubber stress toy.”
In a separate incident, on November 20, Morrice breached a bail curfew by leaving his home address.
When police arrived to arrest him in the early hours of the next morning, he told them he “left to collect his mail”.
However, when officers cuffed him, Morrice became aggressive, shouting, swearing and struggling.
He threatened to bite officers’ noses off and made various biting motions without making any real attempts to bite anyone.
‘At the very least inappropriate’
Morrice, of Baker Street, Aberdeen, pled guilty to breach of the peace, breaching his bail curfew and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Defence agent Lisa Reilly said her client “accepts responsibility” for the offences.
She said: “It was his birthday and he had been drinking with associates.
“He advises the weather was good and he had his top off.”
She explained Morrice had been given the item, which was a “stress toy”.
Ms Reilly added her client was “making progress” in tackling issues with alcohol.
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis told Morrice his behaviour, regarding the rubber penis offence, was “at the very least inappropriate”.
He added: “There comes a point when the interests of the general public outweigh the interests of the accused.”
He jailed Morrice for a total of 12 months – eight for the breach of the peace and four for the other matters.
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