‘Do you know who I am?’ drunk dad yelled at officers before night in cells

He had been through out of Trench Bar.

A 44-year-old father’s rare night out ended in a police cell after he became “extremely belligerent” and aggressive towards officers.

Neil Grant admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner when he appeared before Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

The court heard how Grant, of Anderson Road, Lerwick, was usually focussed on the upbringing of his teenage daughter.

On a rare night out, however, he started doing shots with a crowd of younger drinkers at Trench Nightclub and was eventually thrown out from the venue.

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said two police officers were walking past the club while on patrol at about 2.30am on 23rd July when Grant was being “ejected from the premises”.

“He became very aggressive and extremely beligerent towards the police, shouting and swearing relentlessly,” the fiscal added.

Mr MacKenzie said Grant was also asking the officers: “Do you know who I am?”

The court heard the quantity surveyor was then arrested but refused to give his name, walking away and saying he “couldn’t be fucked with this”.

Mr MacKenzie said his behaviour was “extremely arrogant” and struggled with the officers as they tried to arrest him.

Eventually, they got him on the ground and put him in handcuffs.

Defence agent Gregor Kelly, citing personal experiences, suggested the situation could be explained by the phrase: “There’s no fool like an old fool.”

Mr Kelly said life had been difficult for his client since lockdown and the separation from his former partner.

The night of the offence was just before the tall ships event, and his daughter had been offered a berth on one of the vessels, leaving Grant at a loose end.

“He had time on his hands, and he used that time extremely unwisely,” he said.

Mr Kelly said there had been “much drinking of spirits”, which led to him behaving on a manner that was “out of character”.

The defence agent cited three letters of reference submitted to the court as evidence he was not usually so arrogant.

“He has let himself down badly,” he said.

Mr Kelly highlighted his client’s community work, including employing apprentices and helping to organise the Junior Up-Helly-A’.

“He knows this is no example for the young people of Shetland,” Mr Kelly said.

“He is keen for a line to be drawn under this.

“He has moderated his drinking almost to the point of total abstinence.”

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank accepted it was a first offence and out of character for Grant.

“That said, on this particular occasion, you displayed a degree of arrogance towards police offices which i not acceptable,” the sheriff added.

He fined Grant £750.