Islander avoids jail over drunken behaviour 27/6/14
A Barra man who repeatedly gets so drunk he is unable to look after himself has appeared
in court.
Donald Edward Maclean, 49, of 5 Am Meall, Vatersay, pleaded guilty to three counts
of being drunk and incapable.
His lawyer told Lochmaddy Sheriff Court his client has a “severe problem” with alcohol.
Maclean is well-known on the island and “regularly drinks to excess” with “taxis
and even the police on occasions” having to take him home, he added.
The court was told Maclean was found in the same situation eight times since last
year. It included once a month since March.
The lawyer asked the sheriff not to send Maclean to prison.
He said: “It is the easiest thing to send him to jail but he’ll come out and continue
his behaviour.”
Sheriff Noel McPartlin sentenced Maclean to undertake 40 hours of community service
work on one charge.
The sheriff did not sentence him on the other charges before the court saying: “I
don’t know if you can cope with more.”