Nwicker60
22-Feb-13, 00:10
Accused felt threatened and brandished canister
A THURSO man, who found himself confronted by a group of youths responded by producing a canister and threatening to spray them.
It led to George Douglas, 66, being charged with threatening behaviour.
He admitted the offence at Wick Sheriff Court, yesterday, and had sentence deferred for six months to allow him to demonstrate he can behave.
The court heard how the fishing attire Douglas was wearing attracted the attention of the youths outside the Thurso branch of Tesco, on August 13, last year.
Douglas, of 7 Strathy House, Mount Vernon, Thurso, told police that he had felt “intimidated” by the teenagers, jostling him and believed they were trying push him over.
David Barclay, prosecuting, said that one of the investigating police officers had remarked that it didn’t appear that the accused had been trying to cause trouble and added that he had over-reacted perhaps with a heightened sense of personal safety.
Mr Barclay told the court that there had been conflicting versions of events from the two parties.
The senior fiscal depute added that the contents of the canister were harmless but didn’t specify what they were.
Solicitor Fiona McDonald said that Douglas had been going about his business when he suddenly found himself surrounded by the youths and some ‘crack’was made about his clothes.
She added: “He felt his personal space was being threatened but accepts he over-reacted by producing the canister asked them ‘How would you like some this in your face’. They said ‘no’and let him move on.”
Sheriff Andrew Berry commented that there was a difference between a container of CS gas, for example, and the one produced by Douglas which was not harmful or unlawful. The sheriff added that there was nothing to suppose the offence would be repeated.
A THURSO man, who found himself confronted by a group of youths responded by producing a canister and threatening to spray them.
It led to George Douglas, 66, being charged with threatening behaviour.
He admitted the offence at Wick Sheriff Court, yesterday, and had sentence deferred for six months to allow him to demonstrate he can behave.
The court heard how the fishing attire Douglas was wearing attracted the attention of the youths outside the Thurso branch of Tesco, on August 13, last year.
Douglas, of 7 Strathy House, Mount Vernon, Thurso, told police that he had felt “intimidated” by the teenagers, jostling him and believed they were trying push him over.
David Barclay, prosecuting, said that one of the investigating police officers had remarked that it didn’t appear that the accused had been trying to cause trouble and added that he had over-reacted perhaps with a heightened sense of personal safety.
Mr Barclay told the court that there had been conflicting versions of events from the two parties.
The senior fiscal depute added that the contents of the canister were harmless but didn’t specify what they were.
Solicitor Fiona McDonald said that Douglas had been going about his business when he suddenly found himself surrounded by the youths and some ‘crack’was made about his clothes.
She added: “He felt his personal space was being threatened but accepts he over-reacted by producing the canister asked them ‘How would you like some this in your face’. They said ‘no’and let him move on.”
Sheriff Andrew Berry commented that there was a difference between a container of CS gas, for example, and the one produced by Douglas which was not harmful or unlawful. The sheriff added that there was nothing to suppose the offence would be repeated.