Nwicker60
13-Dec-13, 22:58
Accused given unpaid work and banned from clinic
A MAN, who ran amok in a dental clinic, has narrowly escaped spending Christmas behind bars.Terence Nichol was given unpaid work and was banned from the Thurso’s Dunbar Clinic for a year, by Sheriff Andrew Berry who described the accused’s behaviour as “outrageous”.
Nichol, 51, had been drinking when he turned up for his appointment on August 7, Wick Sheriff Court was told, today. Staff tactfully tried to persuade him that an alternative appointment would be “more appropriate” but that didn’t placate the accused. Nichol complained about a wasted bus fare, shouted and swore at the staff and kicked the entrance door. Dentist John Barry appeared on the scene and also advocated a new appointment as “the best way to proceed” but was insulted.
David Barclay, prosecuting, said: “Nichol asked him where he was from and on being told it was Dublin, the accused delivered a tirade making reference to Mr Barry being a “Catholic c**t” and “a Catholic ”. Police, who were summoned, also found themselves on the receiving end of Nichol’s abuse.
Nichol, of 1 Kitty’s Pass, Armadale, near Thurso, admitted a reduced charge of threatening or abusive conduct with a religious aggravation - his first offence in Scotland. A plea of not guilty to an additional charge of assaulting Mr Barry, by attempting to strike him, was accepted by the fiscal depute.
Solicitor Neil Wilson said that Nichol had had time to kill when he arrived in Thurso, by bus for his appointment and had unwisely, as he had a problem with alcohol, decided to take drink. The accused wished to apologise to the dental staff and patients, and in particular to Mr Barry and appreciated that what he had said had been upsetting for them all.
Mr Wilson said that a combination of factors - outlined in a background report - had put his client “completely off the rails” a few years ago and triggered his offending and his abuse of alcohol which was still his “underlying problem”. Nichol would be willing to undertake certain community work although he wasn’t fit to “dig ditches.”
Sheriff Berry told him: “Your behaviour was absolutely disgraceful, particularly the reference to a person’s religion which was wholly unacceptable, coming from a mature adult who should have known better. In light of that abuse, I had considered a prison sentence.”
The sheriff added that people in public service were entitled to be treated with respect and should not have to fear whether folk were going to be dealing with were going to be drunk or sober.
Nichol will be under supervision while he completes 75 hours of community service during which he will be expected to accept advice to address his drinking.
The court was told that although banned from the Dunbar Clinic, another of the practice’s dentists had agreed to treat the accused at a different location.
A MAN, who ran amok in a dental clinic, has narrowly escaped spending Christmas behind bars.Terence Nichol was given unpaid work and was banned from the Thurso’s Dunbar Clinic for a year, by Sheriff Andrew Berry who described the accused’s behaviour as “outrageous”.
Nichol, 51, had been drinking when he turned up for his appointment on August 7, Wick Sheriff Court was told, today. Staff tactfully tried to persuade him that an alternative appointment would be “more appropriate” but that didn’t placate the accused. Nichol complained about a wasted bus fare, shouted and swore at the staff and kicked the entrance door. Dentist John Barry appeared on the scene and also advocated a new appointment as “the best way to proceed” but was insulted.
David Barclay, prosecuting, said: “Nichol asked him where he was from and on being told it was Dublin, the accused delivered a tirade making reference to Mr Barry being a “Catholic c**t” and “a Catholic ”. Police, who were summoned, also found themselves on the receiving end of Nichol’s abuse.
Nichol, of 1 Kitty’s Pass, Armadale, near Thurso, admitted a reduced charge of threatening or abusive conduct with a religious aggravation - his first offence in Scotland. A plea of not guilty to an additional charge of assaulting Mr Barry, by attempting to strike him, was accepted by the fiscal depute.
Solicitor Neil Wilson said that Nichol had had time to kill when he arrived in Thurso, by bus for his appointment and had unwisely, as he had a problem with alcohol, decided to take drink. The accused wished to apologise to the dental staff and patients, and in particular to Mr Barry and appreciated that what he had said had been upsetting for them all.
Mr Wilson said that a combination of factors - outlined in a background report - had put his client “completely off the rails” a few years ago and triggered his offending and his abuse of alcohol which was still his “underlying problem”. Nichol would be willing to undertake certain community work although he wasn’t fit to “dig ditches.”
Sheriff Berry told him: “Your behaviour was absolutely disgraceful, particularly the reference to a person’s religion which was wholly unacceptable, coming from a mature adult who should have known better. In light of that abuse, I had considered a prison sentence.”
The sheriff added that people in public service were entitled to be treated with respect and should not have to fear whether folk were going to be dealing with were going to be drunk or sober.
Nichol will be under supervision while he completes 75 hours of community service during which he will be expected to accept advice to address his drinking.
The court was told that although banned from the Dunbar Clinic, another of the practice’s dentists had agreed to treat the accused at a different location.