A drug addict cut his throat with a razor blade in a Highland hospital in an attempt to be prescribed methadone, Inverness Sheriff Court heard yesterday.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood was told that Daniel McCafferty, 26, behaved in an abusive and threatening manner at the city’s Raigmore Hospital on New Year’s Day because all the chemists were closed.
He admitted a breach of the peace by cutting his neck with a razor blade, refusing to put it down and flicking blood towards a security guard, claiming he was suffering from Hepatitis C.
Fiscal depute Robert Weir said the cuts were only superficial.
He added: “He told police officers that he said he had Hep C to ‘wind up’ the security officer.”
The court heard that McCafferty, of Thornbush Road, had only been released early from a jail sentence two weeks before the offence was committed.
His lawyer, Willie Young said: “He had been admitted to hospital two days before with a drugs overdose and had been treated.
“He didn’t realise when he was discharged that it was New Year’s Day and all the chemists were shut and unable to give him his methadone prescription.
“He self harmed in the hope that he would be re-admitted and receive some methodone. He has a poor record, indicative of a drug addict, and every disposal has been tried except a drug treatment and testing order.
“He has been in custody since January 2 and I would not be making an application for bail while an initial assessment is carried out.”
However Sheriff Fleetwood rejected the lawyer’s plea, saying: “You were at liberty only a fortnight before this offence, having been released early on licence from a previous sentence.
“With your record, there is no alternative to a custodial sentence, You will first serve the 90 days which were unexpired and then an additional four months.”
