Moray incident saw teenager headbutt and spat at police officers in Buckie property

A “troubled young man” headbutted and spat at police officers who had entered his home to help him.

Two sergeants entered Dylan Guyan’s property on East Cathcart Street in Buckie on April 20 after concerns were expressed for his welfare by a relative.

But Inverness Sheriff Court was told that when they traced Guyan, he headbutted one in the face and spat on the other as they tried to take hold of him.

The 19-year-old previously admitted assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement and spitting on the second sergeant and sentence was deferred for a background report.

The first sergeant sustained a two centimetre cut above his eyebrow which required five stitches.

Fiscal depute Susan Love told the court that Guyan's "volatile" behaviour continued after his arrest and he injured his own head by banging it on a wall.

When the teenager appeared for sentence, defence solicitor George Mathers told Sheriff Robert Frazer that his “troubled” client complained of “hearing voices in his head since a young age”.

He said a psychiatric report may have been useful also for the court. Sheriff Frazer agreed to defer sentence until November 28 for Mr Mathers to obtain such a report.

However he added: "Your client's record for a young man is appalling. He has been subject to four community payback orders and nothing seems to be deterring him."

The Sheriff hinted that he was considering a custodial sentence.

Mr Mathers accepted that the offence was a serious one.

He added: "His childhood seems to have been horrific and traumatic and a real anger comes out when there are certain triggers.

“The police were there to help him but that was not the way he perceived it.

"He had been drinking vodka and taken valium so he was intoxicated.

“Police saw him walking towards his flat, he gets in and his recollection is that each arm was grabbed.

“He thinks he is in danger, turns around, headbutts one and then spits on the other.

"The sergeant involved still suffers numbness and pain and my client told me: 'I know I shouldn't have done it.'

“He is a troubled young man."