Elgin man (28) jailed for police station struggle
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A 28-year-old Elgin man with "a shocking record" was jailed for seven months today after admitting obstructing and resisting police.
At an earlier court appearance Dean Wells admitted the offence which occurred in Elgin Police Station on November 13 last year.
Sentence had since been deferred for a background report to be prepared about him.
Wells appeared before Sheriff Margaret Neilson today at Inverness Sheriff Court via a video link from the city's prison.
Defence lawyer Stephen Carty said his client had spent 86 days on remand.
He added that, when released, Wells intended making a fresh start by staying with his girlfriend in Alloa.
Mr Carty said: "There is very little trust between the police and Mr Wells.
"He felt they were being heavy-handed with him.
"But there was no justification for his conduct."
Fiscal depute Robert Weir told the court that Wells had committed the offence after his handcuffs were removed in Elgin Police Station.
Mr Weir said: "At the charge bar, his handcuffs were being briefly removed to allow him the opportunity to remove a piercing.
"He then became agitated and made demands to be placed straight in a cell.
"He lunged forward towards the charge bar despite being held by the constables.
"He then threw himself back against the door and continues to struggle.
"Constables had to restrain him to the ground to gain control."
Sheriff Neilson told Wells that, given his "shocking record", only a custodial sentence was appropriate.
However, she took into account the time he had already been in custody and backdated the jail sentence to February 14.
Wells, who had a bizarre fixation with stealing birds, has been jailed on at least four occasions during the past seven years for breaking into pigeon lofts.
In September he was ordered by Aberdeen Sheriff Court to stay out of Elgin for 12 months after he admitted stealing a racing pigeon.
