A Lewis teenager was warned yesterday she faces five years in a young offender’s institution unless she stays out of trouble.
Sally Maclennan of 21 Marvig, South Lochs, admitted a catalogue of offences at Stornoway Sheriff Court.
The 17-year-old previously pleaded guilty to police assault by repeatedly spitting in an officer’s face and injuring a constable’s hand by trapping it in a van door.
She also admitted causing a disturbance at the Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway by screaming and throwing herself to the groundl, hindering staff and using threatening behaviour.
Maclennan further admitted causing moving vehicles to stop to avoid hitting her as she ran through traffic, attempting to bite nursing staff, ambulance personnel and police in North Beach Street, in Stornoway town centre in November.
She also jumped onto the bonnet of a car, smashing its windscreen and damaging its wing mirror on the same date.
Other offences included a disturbance at her home where she smashed a mirror and another incident of screaming and swearing at the emergency department in the Stornoway hospital.
Sheriff David Sutherland told Maclennan he had considered imposing a prison sentence, but instead, he placed her on a community payback order including 250 hours of unpaid community service work.
She was also placed on an alcohol and illegal drug ban.
For the next 12 months she will be tagged and required to obey a 7.30am to 6.30am curfew.
The sheriff stated she also “almost inevitably faced prison,” possibly up to five years sentence if she breached the order.
He warned: “For a 17-year-old, these are not only serious but worrying offences.
“I am particularly concerned regarding your behaviour with emergency staff at the hospital.”
The sheriff emphasised she had presented a danger to both staff, patients and others in the “accident and emergency department at the time.”