A Halloween reveller, caught with suspected drugs in her handbag, was led away from a Moray pub in handcuffs by police officers who identified her because of her spooky costume.
The young woman, who had painted her face to look like a skeleton, was one of hundreds of locals who donned fancy dress before heading into the centre of Elgin on Saturday night.
Local officers ramped up patrols, amid fears that some people would use one of the busiest nights of the year as an excuse to cause trouble.
Concerns had been raised that the growing popularity and “party atmosphere”, generated by Halloween, could combine with the payday weekend to turn Fright Night into Fight Night.
Police crews patrolled some of the region’s most popular nightspots in the hope their increased presence would deter any drinkers intent on causing trouble.
Sergeant Phil Wu assembled an expanded group of officers at Elgin Police Station at 10pm on Saturday, where he detailed the unique challenges the night ahead could pose.
He described the area around Joanna’s nightclub, Downtown USA and the Zed Bar, where an estimated 1,000 people subsequently converged to cap off the night, as the “hotspot” with most potential for illegal activities.
Sgt Wu told the Press and Journal extra officers were covering parts of Elgin, Buckie and Forres to ensure revellers were well aware of the enhanced police presence across Moray.
He added: “Generally, the combination of a payday weekend and a celebration like Halloween means there are more people out socialising, which increases the potential for illegal or anti-social behaviour.”
Elgin constables Davie Bell and Kyle Warren sprang into action outside Elgin’s Granary pub after being tipped off that one creepily-clad customer had drugs in her possession.
A member of the Thunderton Place venue’s own security team had overheard the 18-year-old and a friend discussing the substance – and alerted officers.
The Elgin-based officers subsequently revealed they were able to track down and identify the teenager because of the distinctive face-paint she had applied for the evening.
Constable Bell explained: “Security overheard a friend telling the girl to be careful because we were around, and she was readily recognisable to us because of the skeleton-style make-up she had on.
“We found a personal amount of a white, powdery substance in a plastic bag in her handbag.”
The young woman’s arrest was the catalyst for howls of protest from her friends – who were dressed up as infamous horror movie villains.
She was detained at Elgin station, and the substance was sent away for laboratory analysis after initial tests to determine what it was proved inconclusive.
Meanwhile, constables Alison Rennie and Charlotte Scott checked in on the pubs along Elgin’s High Street, jostling their way through packed throngs of drinkers.
The pair were greeted enthusiastically by locals, many of whom were dressed as famous people, ranging from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to American presidential hopeful Donald Trump.
At 1am, a man in his mid-20s was arrested for behaving in a threatening and abusive manner in the lane outside Joanna’s nightclub, after refusing to leave the area upon being denied entry.
And another man, dressed as a comic book superhero, was later issued a warning after police searched him and discovered a small sum of cannabis in a pocket of his costume.
Just 30 minutes later, trouble flared at the High Street’s taxi rank when an argument over a pizza spiralled into a heated confrontation and accusations of assault.
One man was quickly bundled into the back of a taxi by friends who were eager to calm the situation, and Sgt Wu took a statement from a badly-shaken woman.
The 29-year-old officer scoured Forres’s High Street for any sign of trouble as the night drew to a close, then visited the Red Lion pub on Tolbooth Street – where he was given a friendly welcome by drinkers keen to be photographed wearing his hat.
Sgt Wu said: “There has predominantly been a good mood in Elgin and elsewhere, despite the large numbers of people out.
“There were a couple of incidents we were required to deal with, but it has been a successful night and our increased presence seems to have paid off.”
The Granary bustled throughout the night with drinkers dressed up as famous rock stars, blood-soaked zombies and well-known fictional characters.
Manager Jude Rowand said: “Traditionally, this is our busiest night of the year, but everyone is largely in good spirits and there has been a good-natured vibe.
“It’s always welcome when there is more of a police presence, it puts my mind at ease knowing that there are plenty officers around should there be any issues.”
