An Elgin man who caused havoc at an archaeological dig last year has been handed community service.
Raymond Gray drunkenly tried to give health and safety advice to the workers there, claiming they were breaking regulations.
The 63-year-old, who the court heard has a background in health and safety, was at the 2,000-year-old Iron Age village dig near Miltonduff Distillery on May 17 last year.
Gray’s behaviour prompted the archaeologists to call the police as he was causing a scene.
Resisting arrest
Elgin Sheriff Court heard that Gray, who lives near the site, began acting aggressively towards a pair of officers who turned up and refused to have handcuffs applied.
Procurator Fiscal Karen Poke said: “The officers saw him standing in the middle of the road and decided he was intoxicated. He was asked to leave but wouldn’t cooperate.
“They tried to handcuff him, but he refused to take his hands out of his pockets.”
Mrs Poke said the officers eventually restrained his hands behind his back.
Gray’s defence agent Stephen Carty said his client had “happened across” the dig when he was under the influence of alcohol.
Safety concerns
He said Gray had previous training in health and safety and said: “He didn’t think what they were doing was particularly safe.”
Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov interrupted to say: “Being drunk on site is not particularly safe, also.”
Mr Carty agreed and continued: “He took umbrage at the police being called, his behaviour was very bad and he can only apologise.”
Gray, who lives at Ballantine Circle, Miltonduff, also pled guilty over a separate incident on March 27 2021.
Neighbours – a married couple- were sitting at home at 9.30pm when they heard banging on their living room window.
Drunken confrontation
“At first they thought it was their son,” Mrs Poke said. “But when the man went to the door, he instead encountered the defendant standing in the garden.”
Gray told the man: “I’m drunk. Go on then, have a go.”
The court heard that the witness, who had once been on quite friendly terms with Gray, formed the opinion he was drunk and told him to go home.
“The man went inside, “Mrs Poke continued. “The accused remained outside but was lying in the road where had had fallen over.”
However, he then began banging on the windows and door again for the next 15 minutes.
Causing a scene
“Other neighbours were now coming out to see what was going on,” Mrs Poke explained.
The couple called the police, who arrived at the scene at 10.05pm.
Gray was cautioned and charged, but while being searched he lashed out his knee and struck one of the officers on the forehead.
In addition to these two incidents, Gray also admitted a further offence of failing to appear in court on June 20 2023.
Mr Carty said his client had “come to the justice system rather late in life”, adding that his drinking had become “problematic” in recent years.
He told the court that Gray had thought the man had been making adverse comments about him and added: “He accepts he was under the influence and did not ascertain what exactly had been said.
“He can only apologise. He has been seeking assistance and it has been beneficial.”
Sheriff Pasportnikov placed him under supervision for 12 months and ordered him to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work, with nine months to complete.
