A man who staggered onto a road and threatened concerned motorists was misusing drugs and alcohol at the time, a court has been told.
Richard Thomson was walking along the A95 towards Grantown on Spey when he stepped into traffic.
When drivers stopped to check on him he became “aggressive and confrontational”, telling one motorist “you are dead” and punching the wing mirror from another vehicle.
Thomson, 34, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court for sentencing having previously admitted a single charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner in relation to the incident on May 6 last year.
Fiscal depute Shamielah Ghafar told the court that the offence took place at around 10pm on Friday May 6 last year.
She said: “The accused had been heavily under the influence of alcohol and he was staggering in the middle of the road.”
Ms Ghafar said that several vehicles stopped out of concern for Thomson’s welfare and police received a number of calls
Motorist told: ‘You are dead’
One motorist asked Thomson if he was okay and was met with a threatening: “You are dead.”
Another member of the public went to speak to the accused after he had been forced to swerve in the road to avoid him, only to be accused of “trying to kill” Thomson.
“The witness explained he was just trying to help, at which point the accused then pushed the witness several times to the chest causing the witness to fall backwards on the road,” Ms Ghafar said.
Other witnesses shouted at Thomson to leave the man alone and he got to his feet and ran back to his vehicle.
Thomson then approached the car and struck the door before punching off a wing mirror with his fist.
After this he removed his belt, which he swung around as he walked along the road towards Grantown on Spey, trying to hit passing vehicles, connecting with one.
‘Intoxicated’ man was blocking traffic
Police dispatched to the scene found an intoxicated Thomson with a bloodied hand in the middle of the road blocking traffic.
He struggled violently with officers as they tried to arrest him, causing him to be restrained to the ground.
When cautioned and charged he replied: “F*** your charges.”
Solicitor Natalie Paterson, for Thomson, told the court that her client had been dealing with alcohol and substance misuse issues at the time of the offence as well as suffering from poor mental health.
“Mr Thomson recalls very little about the offence,” she said.
She said a pre-sentencing report detailed his shame and embarrassment at his behaviour and added: “He has worked very hard to improve since.”
Handing down a fine of £520, Sheriff Lindsay Foulis told Thomson, of Dulaig Court, Grantown on Spey: “On the night in question you had consumed a considerable amount of alcohol and also illicit substances; you know that that has consequences.
“As a result, you behaved in the manner described.”
