A man with a self-confessed “drunken tongue” hurled homophobic and anti-religious abuse at police officers as he violently resisted arrest.
When police first encountered Mark Hall in Aberdeen’s Stoneyton Terrace he was red-faced and missing a tooth, the city’s sheriff court was told.
He’d been injured by another man, who police officers also found with wounds.
That altercation, on October 25 2020, is no longer being prosecuted, but Hall’s behaviour towards police officers who went to assist him has landed him in the dock.
‘He seems to me rather ecumenical with his words’
Fiscal depute Anne McDonald said when police arrested Hall he immediately tried to grab and swallow a bottle of methadone.
When the 40-year-old was told he couldn’t bring the liquid drug with him he became violent and made threats to assault and bite officers while calling them “scum interspersed with swear words”.
The fiscal depute said: “He made several homophobic remarks using words such as p**** and transexuals.
“Religion and sectarianism were then referred to by the accused. I don’t think he means what he was saying as he seems to me rather ecumenical with his words when referring to Catholics, Unionists, Protestants and Fenians, all mixed together with various swear words.”
Hall admitted resisting arrest, police assault and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
He has a ‘drunken tongue’
Defence agent Sian Grant said her client had been struggling with alcohol at the time but positive reports showed he has good insight into the consequences of his words and behaviour.
“He says that growing up the police were always viewed as bad guys,” the solicitor said.
“He refers to himself as having a drunken tongue on this occasion. It’s not behaviour he would seek to repeat.”
Sheriff Margaret Hodge handed Hall, of Charlotte Gardens, Aberdeen 100 hours of unpaid work.
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