An Aberdeenshire man has admitted racially abusing a policeman by repeatedly imitating the officer’s Irish accent.
Sean Thorn, of Polinar Place in Inverurie, waged a campaign of abuse against officers called to the town following concerns for his condition on Sunday, June 11.
The 25-year-old pleaded guilty to six separate charges when he appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday.
Fiscal Katy Begg explained that locals called police to Inverurie as Thorn’s drunken disposition was causing concern.
She said he was “abusive towards them on the trip to the station in Kittybrewster“ and his behaviour further deteriorated during the course of the evening.
Thorn threatened to kill the officers who arrested him, and their families, during the drive from Inverurie’s North High Street to the cells at Great Northern Road in Aberdeen.
He assaulted policeman Graeme Robertson by “attempting to headbutt him to the face” and kicked and punched Justin Drennan and tried to headbutt him while being driven back to Inverurie later that night.
And he admitted acting in a racially aggravated manner intended to cause Constable Drennan “alarm and distress”, by “repeatedly speaking in a mock Irish accent”.
Thorn accepted one other charge of threatening or abusive behaviour during that journey – by repeatedly unfastening his seatbelt, attempting to open the door of the police car while it was in motion and trying to kick the vehicle’s gear stick.
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin ordered that social work reports focussing on Thorn’s alcohol consumption be prepared before he is sentenced on Tuesday, October 17.
