A fisherman who assaulted police officers after going on drink binges when he got ashore was ordered to pay three constables a total of £350 in compensation.
Scott Mackenzie, of Woodlands Court, Inshes Wood, was also ordered to do 180 hours of unpaid community work and have a year of alcohol treatment under social work supervision at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday.
Sheriff Chris Dickson told the 22-year-old: “These are serious offences against police officers just doing their job. If you come before the court on a similar offence, it will be a custodial sentence.”
Mackenzie admitted three separate charges of police assault, all committed on December 9, after a disturbance in Max’s Take-away in Lombard Street.
His lawyer, Graham Mann, also said his client admitted two similar previous convictions.
The court was told a customer alerted the police to Mackenzie’s early morning aggressive drunken behaviour in the restaurant .
When two male and one female officer attended to deal with him, Mackenzie punched one in his face, struck another cutting his cheek and kicked the third on her legs.
Fiscal depute Susan Love said an incapacitant spray had to be used.
Mr Mann said: “He hasn’t had an issue with the police in the past, it’s his excessive drinking on occasion that is to blame. He didn’t remember anything about the incidents afterwards.”
