Cases from today's sheriff court

[Nwicker60]

Made racist comment to constable

A COURT heard yesterday that Gerrard Magennis has little recollection of two drunken incidents in which he pushed a teenager in a Wick street and made a racist comment to a police officer.
Magennis admitted making the remark and behaving in an abusive or threatening manner, when he appeared from custody at Wick Sheriff Court today.
Honorary Sheriff Farquhar Macgregor was told that the accused was observed acting in “an erratic manner” in Bridge Street, Wick, late on Saturday night. He grabbed youth's jacket, and made a threat to all in sundry that he was going to kill them.
A friend of Mcgennis (42) tried to calm him down but he pushed her, causing her to fall to the ground. Police arrived on the scene and arrested the accused.
At the police station, he made “an unsavoury” racist remark to a woman police officer.
Solicitor Jo McDonald said that Magennis, of Seaforth Avenue, Wick, had little recall of the incidents and when these were outlined to him he was “totally ashamed” of how he had behaved.
The accused had been drinking since 2.30pm when he went out to watch English football, on television and had had nothing to eat. All he could remember was shouting at a group of young people, possibly in reply to something they might have said to him.
Ms McDonald said that the fact that first offender Magennis was not spoken to by the police, until early on Monday morning was an indication as to a level of his intoxication.
She added: “He wishes to apologise to everyone concerned and I think he is unlikely to repeat his behaviour."
Honorary Sheriff Macgregor said that Magennis had clearly had “far too much to drink” but added that an excess of alcohol was no excuse for his behaviour which had been “completely out of order”.
Mr Macgregor added: “It concerns me that you have so little recollection of what took place. Please take this as an important lesson.”
Sentence was deferred on Magennis for a year, to give him an opportunity to demonstrate he can behave himself.

Accused of a breach of the peace

IN a separate case, James Ronaldson Mackay, appeared in private accused of a breach of the peace in a public area.
The 43-year-old from Wick, made no plea or declaration and was remanded in custody, pending further inquiry. He will reappear in the court next week.