News / Argument overheated
A LATE night political debate in a Shetland hotel during the run up to the Scottish independence referendum became so heated that pint glasses were smashed and a fire alarm was set off, Lerwick Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday.
The court heard that businessman James McGowan, of 10 Raithburn Road, Glasgow, had been drinking in the bar at the St Magnus Bay Hotel where he was staying on 10 August 2014.
At around 2am the 31 year old struck up a conversation about politics with the hotel’s owner who was working behind the bar.
The court heard the argument became so heated the owner left the bar area, provoking McGowan to hurl pint glasses at him, several of which shattered. He then set off the hotel’s fire alarm.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said McGowan, who runs a Glasgow engineering firm, was asleep in his room when the police arrived and struggled with them as they arrested him, mocking and insulting them.
Representing himself in court, McGowan admitted he had been “extremely intoxicated” at the time and said the argument had “got out of hand”.
He added that soon after the incident he apologised to the hotel for his behaviour and paid for the damage.
Sheriff Philip Mann fined McGowan a total of £600 after he pled guilty to assaulting the hotel owner by repeatedly throwing glasses at him, setting off the fire alarm and shouting, swearing and struggling with officers en route to Lerwick police station.
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