A Highland carer who got drunk at a country music festival in Inverurie and abandoned a disabled man she was supposed to be looking after has been fined.
Rhona Duncan downed pints of wine and behaved “obnoxiously” to staff after she left the wheelchair-bound man, 62, on his own at the Thainstone Agricultural Centre on June 4 last year.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard that the man began crying after his 50-year-old carer had left him feeling alone and “uncared for”.
It was stated that, instead of doing her job, Duncan got drunk and flirted with random men at the country music event.
Appearing on her behalf, her solicitor Alex Burn conceded that Duncan had consumed “way too much” alcohol on the day in question.
When police officers spoke to Duncan later that night she was unremorseful, telling them: “Do you think I need this for £12 an hour?”
Police called over welfare concern
Fiscal depute Brooklyn Shaw told the court that on June 3 last year Duncan and the man, who is in his 60s, travelled from Dingwall to Aberdeenshire, where they checked into a hotel and went to the Thainstone 5 Country Music Festival.
At some point during the evening, members of the public became aware that Duncan had left the man alone at a table with people he didn’t know.
A member of the security staff was notified and she went to speak to Duncan, who was unsteady on her feet and carrying a pint-sized cup of wine.
Ms Shaw said the Thainstone worker thought Duncan was acting “obnoxiously” and was being “flirtatious with other males at the event”.
The security member was “very concerned” for the man’s welfare and continued to check on him throughout the night.
“She then felt it was necessary to contact the police where she reported her concern,” Ms Shaw said.
“When police arrived and spoke to the complainer, he confided that he did not want to leave the event with Ms Duncan, who had left him for the majority of the night.
“Police then spoke to Ms Duncan, who denied that she had left him for most of the evening and claimed she had only had two glasses of wine.
“The man then repeated that he didn’t want to leave with Ms Duncan as he felt ‘uncared for’.”
‘Do you think I need this for £12 an hour?’
Ms Shaw added that as police were speaking to him, the man began crying as he believed he was somehow in trouble over what had happened.
When police asked for Duncan’s mobile number, she discovered she had lost her phone, which was found 100 metres away in the car park at the festival.
As the police drove Duncan back to her hotel they noted that she showed “no remorse” for her behaviour and repeatedly stated: “Do you think I need this for £12 an hour?”
In the dock, Duncan pleaded guilty to one charge of ill-treating or willfully neglecting a person in her care by becoming intoxicated while working as a carer.
‘She was using alcohol as crutch’
Duncan’s solicitor, Alex Burn, told the court that the country music festival had been an event his client had gone to on previous occasions.
“Clearly, there was a difficulty here that was caused by alcohol consumption and Ms Duncan accepts that she had consumed way too much,” the lawyer said.
He added: “She should have been sober, but, since this happened, she has made improvements in her life.
“She has had longstanding mental health difficulties and was using alcohol as a crutch, but she has reduced her intake and feels far stronger now.”
Mr Burn submitted that perhaps his client could be admonished by the court, which would still be reflected as a conviction but would mean Duncan would face no further punishment.
Sentencing Duncan, Sheriff Morag McLaughlin told her she was “not prepared to admonish her” and felt that her punishment should be reflected by way of a fine.
She fined Duncan, of MacRae Grove, Dingwall, a total of £470.
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