A retired policeman’s son assaulted one of his dad’s former colleagues when they tried to arrest him for threatening his partner with a knife.
Adam Cox had fallen out with the woman on Boxing Day last year and brought along the weapon when he confronted her at a property in Shore Street, Inverness.
When the 23-year-old’s partner saw he was holding a knife she asked: “Are you going to stab me?”
Cox replied: “Yes”.
Sheriff Robert Frazer was told the woman managed to leave the scene only for Cox to encounter her later in Grant Street where he put her in a chokehold before punching her in the face twice.
Fiscal depute David Morten told Inverness Sheriff Court that police officers caught up with Cox on the Kessock Bridge and when they tried to arrest him he head-butted one in the face, causing bruising.
Cox previously admitted charges of threatening behaviour, assaulting his partner on Grant Street, resisting arrest and police assault on the Kessock Bridge.
He also pleaded guilty to refusing a breath test in Burnett Road Police Station following the discovery of his car near the Kessock Bridge.
Defence solicitor Willie Young told the court that Cox’s father was a retired police officer and his mother a headteacher and that he came from a “good family”.
‘Your behaviour was abhorrent’
“Alcohol played a significant part in this and he had fragile mental health at the time,” he said. “He regrets acting in this fashion and would benefit from supervision.”
Sheriff Frazer decided to take time over his sentence and ordered that Cox be kept in the court cells until later in the day.
When the case was recalled a couple of hours later, Sheriff Frazer told Cox: “Your behaviour was abhorrent. Only your age saves you from me sending you to prison.”
He ordered Cox, of Rosehaugh High Drive, Avoch, to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work as an alternative to custody and remain under social work supervision for two years.
The sheriff also instructed Cox to participate in a rehabilitation programme for domestic abusers and banned him from driving for a year.
In conclusion, he warned Cox if he did not comply with the community payback order, he would be jailed and would face prison as well if there was any repetition of his behaviour.
