A Dufftown man has been ordered to pay compensation to a police officer after injuring him whilst resisting arrest “tooled up” with a poker.
Officers had been called to Marley Atkins’ home address in Dufftown after receiving reports from a third party with concerns for his health.
Fiscal depute Karen Poke said officers arrived at Atkins’ address at around 8.10pm on October 24 last year and left him in the care of paramedics.
However, ambulance staff then called for assistance later that night, the court heard, as Atkins was refusing to go to hospital.
“When the police attended, the accused refused them entry to his house,” Mrs Poke said.
“He was clearly irate and told them he was ‘going to get tooled up’ and was ‘going to war’ – all while brandishing a fire poker.
“He made repeated threats to fight with them if they entered the address. He continued to act aggressively, still with the poker.”
The officers were eventually forced to use a spray to subdue Atkins who was “clearly intending to cause harm”.
Dufftown man to pay injured officer compensation
“The officers gained entry, and the accused was still in possession of the poker and remained in a high level of aggression.
“He charged towards [an officer] and their heads clashed. They attempted to take control of him, but he struck out at the other two officers.
“Eventually he was handcuffed and restrained to the ground.”
One of the officers was taken to Dr Gray’s hospital with suspected broken ribs.
Atkins’ defence solicitor Stephen Carty said his client had been in a “very low place” with his mental health at the time.
He said: “The ambulance staff and police were clearly there for his safety, but he took the view that there was no need for them to be there.
“Matters escalated. He should have complied with them and admits he did not handle the situation well and can only apologise.”
Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov ordered Atkins to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work in six months and placed him under supervision for one year.
He was also ordered to pay the injured police officer £200 compensation.