News / Army veteran ashamed of behaviour
AN ARMY veteran with an exemplary military record blotted his copy book at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday when he pled guilty to assault and acting aggressively at his local Royal British Legion.
The court heard that 45 year old Graeme McDonald, of 21 Hogalee, Scalloway, had served in every major war zone since the Falklands War before retiring from the 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery after 23 years service.
However when he went out with his wife to the local Legion, on Scalloway’s Berry Road, on 17 December, he got extremely drunk and abusive.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said he started to boast loudly from the bar about how many people he had killed during his career.
When he was later refused service at the bar because of his behaviour, he became extremely abusive, especially towards his wife.
Mr Mackenzie said: “He started shouting abuse at her which was explicit, it is difficult to imagine language and content which could have been more demeaning.”
His wife left upset and was followed by another woman who tried to comfort her. Mr Mackenzie said: “The response from someone who claimed to be some sort of hero was to assault that woman. She wasn’t injured, but she managed to get away from the situation.”
McDonald admitted pushing the woman and acting in a threatening or abusive manner.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said that his client was suffering from some sort of combat stress and was ashamed of his behaviour. He added that he had spent almost three days in the cells following his arrest.
Deferring sentence for five months for him to be of good behaviour, Sheriff Graeme Napier told McDonald: “Whatever background you have you can’t take this out on other people.
“I am willing to give you an opportunity to prove you can be of good behaviour as you have been for most of your life.”
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