News / Man behind bars after causing ‘terror’ at taxi office
A MAN from Lerwick whose five-day drink and drugs binge ended with an attempt to barge into a taxi office while “brandishing” a knife has been jailed for 14 months.
Ross MacDougall, of Ladies Drive, previously admitted the offence – which took place on 30 June at the Allied Taxis office on Lerwick’s North Road.
Twenty eight year old MacDougall was “repeatedly attempting to remove a knife from the waistband of his trousers” while pushing against a door in at attempt to force entry to the office while a member of staff blocked his entry.
At Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday, defence agent Tommy Allan said his client had been “drinking heavily and taking a lot of valium” for a number of days before the offence.
McDougall had no explanation for his actions, he added.
A social work report prepared ahead of sentencing said that the 28 year old had “fairly serious issues” with substance misuse, Allan said.
The solicitor said there was no injury involved and it was “fortunate” that the man didn’t gain access to the taxi office.
Sheriff Philip Mann said the incident would have caused “extreme terror” for the complainer. He gave MacDougall a total of 14 months in jail, which will be consecutive to a jail term he is already serving, and also ordered the forfeiture of the knife.
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