Forss man targeted individuals and family over period of months

A Forss man who subjected a driver to a sustained assault in Thurso, has been jailed for six months.

Sheriff Neil Wilson heard Jamie Sutherland deliberately targeted a number of individuals over a matter of months.

In one incident, Sutherland (31) drove his car at a man, hitting him on the body, and in another offence he woke a Castletown family with his loud and erratic driving.

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Sutherland admitted charges of culpable and reckless conduct, assault, and threatening or abusive behaviour last year.

Wick Sheriff Court heard last week, that, on May 3, 2024 a man was sitting in his car outside Dunnett's Garage, Thurso.

Sutherland arrived and got out and the other man reversed his vehicle in order to leave, but the accused stood in front of his car, preventing him from doing so.

Fiscal Depute Grant McLennan continued: "The accused walked to the driver's side of [the man’s] vehicle, reached in and grabbed hold of him and punched him for a total of 15 times, let go of him, made a comment and then punched him a further five times.

“Sutherland then went back to his car and drove off. [The man] contacted the police."

Prior to this - on April 28 last year - Sutherland had targeted a different man as he and two friends were walking home in Henderson Street, Thurso.

Mr McLennan said that Sutherland drove his vehicle, at a speed of 20mph, toward them, striking the man. He then drove over the pavement and disappeared.

Turning to the third incident, the Fiscal Depute said that a family were awakened at 2am on July 13 last year by the sound of Sutherland's car at their Castletown home.

Mr McLennan said Sutherland was revving his engine harshly with his lights on full beam, while shouting at a man and woman who got out of bed and were able to identify the vehicle by its registration although they could not make out the driver.

“However, both were visible on CCTV footage recovered by the police,” Mr McLennan said.

The family were left in "fear, stress and alarm" by the incident he added.

Mhryin Hill for Sutherland, of Orkney View Cottage, Forss, said that history between him and the victims of his conduct was at the root of the incidents and added: "He recognises the level of distress he caused to them, in particular to the couple with a young family.

Miss Hill said that the accused was required to be open with his GP in order that things could be put in place to allow him to move forward.

The solicitor suggested that a community-based sentence with a restriction of liberty order would provide the scope for Sutherland to engage in useful discussions with social workers about his offending behaviour which had escalated recently, but could be addressed through a pay back order.

Sheriff Wilson, who saw a background report, said that the accused's behaviour represented "a sustained course of conduct deliberately targeting those involved" and added: "There can be no question of an alternative to custody."

Sutherland was jailed for six months for the April assault.

Each of the other two charges attracted a four-month custodial sentence to run concurrently, meaning they do not add to the total length of the sentence.