Sheriff Euan Cameron sentenced a man to seven months in jail for violent, abusive and drunken behaviour in a hotel on Islay.
The sheriff told Craig MacKay: “I hope you use this time in prison to reflect and make a change in your life.”
The November sitting of Campbeltown Sheriff Court heard that after time in hospital on the island, in police custody and the journey to the mainland, the man was still drunk when he arrived at Clydebank Police Station.
MacKay, aged 41, of Flat 13 14/18 Dundasvale Court, Glasgow, admitted two offences which took place on November 18, 2022, at an island hotel; that he punched a man on the head and that he acted in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, uttering threatening remarks and overturning chairs and tables, causing glasses to smash. The offences were committed while MacKay was on bail.
He also admitted failing to appear at Campbeltown Sheriff Court on March 1 this year, having been granted bail on November 21 last year.
The incident began when MacKay attempted to book a room at the hotel and his bank card was declined. He went into the hotel bar and, while there, began to shout abuse at a 74-year-old man and threaten “to kill his children”, said Ewan Nicholson, procurator fiscal depute.
“His wife, aged 64, fearing for the safety of her husband, stood up and got between the accused and her husband,” the fiscal added; a member of staff then stepped in and, along with others, tried to calm MacKay down and get him off the premises.
“MacKay managed to free an arm and punch one of the hotel workers in the face,” said the fiscal.
Police were called, the man was arrested, cautioned and charged, but he was very heavily intoxicated.
“Due to his erratic behaviour, he was taken to Islay Hospital before being taken into police custody; he was then taken to Clydebank and he was still drunk by the time they got him there,” the fiscal added.
John B McGeechan, MacKay’s defence agent, said: “His record is trouble; he knows that,” adding: “His life spiralled out of control due to alcohol.”
Mr McGeechan said his client had held senior and responsible positions before redundancy.
“He cannot cope with life,” he said.
Sheriff Cameron read reports on MacKay, who had previously been given community payback orders for previous offences.
“What concerns me is that he does not engage [with social workers],” said the sheriff.
He added that he could see no other alternative to custody, and told MacKay: “You simply cannot continue on this path; you have potential to do so much better.”
MacKay was given a seven-month overall sentence, which was backdated to the date he had been taken into custody.