Forres man jailed for kicking PC in the face
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A Forres man who kicked a policeman in the face before spitting at other officers has been jailed for three months.
Blair Cotter appeared by video link yesterday at Inverness Sheriff Court for sentencing.
The 33-year-old had previously admitted one charge of assault and another of culpable and reckless conduct.
Sentence was earlier deferred to see whether Cotter was suitable for a drug treatment and testing order, however social workers had come to the conclusion that he wasn't.
On July 5 last year two police officers were called to a disturbance outside MacCallum's Bar in Inverness at about 9pm.
Fiscal depute Martina Eastwood stated they were given Cotter's name and managed to locate him nearby on Church Street.
She said: "He walked away and was asked to stop several times before he eventually did outside Lauder's Bar.
"He refused to co-operate and was taken to the ground.
"The officers required assistance and two others were quickly on the scene, but he rolled partially onto his back and kicked one in the face.
"Leg restraints had to be applied to stop him lashing out."
After being taken to a police station he then spat several times at officers without making contact.
Defence solicitor John MacColl said: "He had had a couple of pints but was not inebriated or under the influence of drugs. However he was disinhibited to a degree.
"Police wanted to speak to him on another matter for which he was not ultimately charged and he became non-compliant.
"He said he broke a rib when police piled on to him and he just kicked out."
Mr MacColl stated his client, who lives in Twinning Link, Forres, was sprayed in face with PAVA as he was having his clothes removed in a police cell.
The lawyer added: "There was a degree of difficulty between him and officers which resulted in some of his clothing having to be cut off.
"He was spitting out but at no-one in particular – hence culpable and reckless conduct."
In addition to these offences Cotter had also earlier admitted a separate charge of assaulting his partner in Dingwall's Dewar Square on June 1, 2020.
He pleaded guilty to slapping her, then striking her on the head with a roll of kitchen foil.
Sheriff Robert Frazer stated that because Cotter had already spent five months on remand, he would limit the sentence.
However, the sheriff added: "You have a bad record which does you know favours, including a large number for violence in the past."
