Court / Young rigger who made rape threats and assaulted police avoids jail sentence
A RIGGER from South Shields who subjected police to physical attacks and verbal abuse over the course of hours has narrowly avoided a jail sentence.
Twenty year old Charlie Forsyth had to be pepper sprayed and restrained during the incident on 27 August last year, which was described as “shameful and shocking” and “prolonged”.
The abuse began on Lerwick’s Commercial Street, where he made a motion to headbutt an officer, and continued at the Gilbert Bain Hospital and Lerwick police station.
Forsyth had previously admitted the lengthy charges, which also saw him spit and kick on the inside of a police van, kick a police officer on the leg and threaten to rape another officer’s family members.
He appeared from custody from HMP Polmont today (Wednesday), having been remanded in jail after laughing during an appearance last month.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said there was not much he could say in mitigation of his client.
Allan described Forsyth’s conduct as “completely unacceptable, offensive and downright disturbing”.
As well as the verbal and physical attacks on officers, Forsyth had twice feigned illness – once in the police van, in which he tried to escape and had to be caught.
The second time saw him taken to hospital as a precaution, where his aggressive behaviour continued – including in the view of children waiting to be seen.
Lerwick Sheriff Court heard last month that Forsyth raised his body off the bed and trying to kick out at the officers while at the hospital.
He did succeed in kicking one on the leg, the court heard, which led to him being pepper sprayed.
Another two officers were called to assist and on their arrival, his behaviour went further downhill – so much so that he had to be restrained to the bed.
All four police officers had to carry him out while he shouted and swore, including making “homophobic” remarks to female officers.
And when they returned to the police station Forsyth’s behaviour continued still, with the man flushing an anti-harm suit down the toilet to try flood the cell.
Forsyth was seen to smirk during the narration in January, and procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said he “seems to be finding this amusing”.
In court today Allan said this was a “completely paradoxical situation”, with Forsyth earning good money as a rigger in Africa.
While he said the 20-year-old was keen to continue in this work, Allan admitted Forsyth was “very much aware” that a custodial sentence could be on the cards.
Allan asked the court to impose a community payback order instead, and said his client would be willing to postpone all travel until this was completed.
Forsyth had “spent some time in custody” already, Allan said, and while it had only been three weeks this was a “significant period for someone” as young as him who had never been in jail before.
He said Forsyth had between £5-6,000 in savings, which he could offer as a “meaningful” way of compensation.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank repeated the offences back to Forsyth, saying he had continued his “truculent and obstreperous behaviour” for a long time.
Having listed all of his transgressions, the sheriff added: “And to cap it all off you threatened to rape an officer’s wife and daughter”.
Sheriff Cruickshank said people often ask “why it’s difficult to recruit and retain police officers”.
“I’m not surprised in the least if police officers have to put up with this,” he added.
The sheriff said officers should have confidence that the court would deal severely with those who assaulted them at work, and that he had to show “this kind of conduct will not be tolerated”.
However, he said he had to balance Forsyth’s offending with his young age.
He imposed a community payback order as a direct alternative to a custodial sentence, ordering him to carry out 140 hours of unpaid work within 12 months.
Forsyth was also ordered to pay £1,000 to a restitution fund for police officers who are assaulted in the line of duty.
Pointing to his sizeable savings, Sheriff Cruickshank instructed Forsyth to pay this fine within four weeks.
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