A north woman who threatened to petrol bomb her local police station three times in a matter of months has been spared a jail sentence.
Joanne Peacher claimed she was being driven by “voices” in her head.
The 46-year-old appeared at Wick Sheriff Court yesterday and was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work in the community.
Sheriff Andrew Berry was told she had “faced up to the reality of her actions” and promised not to offend again.
Peacher’s latest petrol bomb threat was on September 7 while she was out walking her dog in the Harrowhill area of Wick.
She telephoned police headquarters at Inverness.
The court was told previously that Peacher, of 55 Kennedy Terrace, Wick, had mental health problems and may have been under the influence of “the wrong mix of her medication.”
Sheriff Berry said during her earlier court appearance that the situation was not helped by the fact she had committed the same offence in such a short timescale.
But after reading background report and hearing a plea from her agent, solicitor Ross Anderson, he decided not to send her to prison.
Mr Anderson said Peacher, who admitted the offence, had not enjoyed her time on remand and pointed out that unpaid work was an option which had not been explored.
He said: “She has faced up to the reality of her actions which not only caused the general public distress, but resulted in her spending some time in prison.”
Sheriff Berry said Peacher’s repeated conduct restricted the options open to him and he had to take account of the public interest.
He said that sometimes prison was the only option, considering the consequences for the police, who had to urgently investigate a non-existent threat.
The sheriff warned her: “At the risk of repeating myself, it is critical there is no further offending.”
Peacher replied from the dock: “I promise.”