Nine months for abusing nurses and police

Behaviour won't be tolerated says sheriff
A SHERIFF has warned that people who abuse public servants will receive the protection of the court.Sheriff Andrew Berry issued the warning when imposing a nine-month custodial sentence on teenager Dominic Long who verbally abused nurses and spat on police officers.
The eighteen-year-old appeared from custody and admitted charges of assault and threatening or abusive behaviour, on July 12.
Wick Sheriff Court was told that police, who had reason to speak to Long, traced him to a house in Thurso. He told them that he was feeling unwell after taking prescribed medication and the officers decided to have him checked at Caithness General Hospital, as a precaution.
David Barclay, prosecuting, said that Long, of 7 Ormlie Crescent, Thurso, reacted badly to the assistance he was receiving from nurses and began shouting and swearing at them using "some unpleasant names".
The fiscal depute said that Long turned his attention to the police, shouting and swearing and making threats of violence and added: "He then spat on all three constables."
Long was subject to two bail orders at the time one of which referred to a petition allegation.
Solicitor Neil Wilson said that he was struggling to find anything by way of mitigation. Long wished to apologise unreservedly to the nurses and the police.
The solicitor added: "They have a hard enough job to do without having to put up with the sort of behaviour he indulged in that night."
Imposing the young offenders term on Long who has an extensive record, Sheriff Berry said:"Those who work in public service will be protected by the court. They are entitled to be treated with respect and the nurse should not have to dread going to work because they might come across the likes of you. The police are also entitled to be treated with respect which you failed miserably to do by threatening them and spitting on them. "
The custodial sentence was backdated to July 15 when the accused was taken into custody.