# General > Doanalsin's Diary >  Swearing lands man in jail

## Nwicker60

Wick sheriff orders "boorish" man to the cells after "disgraceful outburst"

A WICK man, eliminated from an assault charge, shocked a court at Wick, yesterday when he swore as he left the dock .
Ungrateful Roddy Aitken,30, was heading for the courtroom door when Sheriff Andrew Berry stopped him in his tracks by requesting the duty police officer to escort him to the cells.
The incident happened after fiscal David Barclay accepted a plea of not guilty to an assault charge and Aitken - one of three men in the dock - was told he was free to go.   His offending comment- "About f*****g  time".
Sheriff Berry took Aitken to task at the close of business having conferred with the duty police officer and the sheriff clerk, confirming his understanding of Aitken's "disgraceful" remark.
George Mathers tendered "a sincere apology" for his client's unusual and "dreadful behaviour"  considering he had been exonerated, and went on: "He didn't seem to realise he had swore".
The solicitor said that Aitken had been under a lot of strain in his personal life over the past year and was "struggling" with his 7pm-7am curfew, which had prevented him attending his father's funeral.  He had twice had to find alternative accommodation.  "Things built up...he feels his life has been very much restricted in relation to the assault charge.  He should have been delighted to get out of her but instead behaved in this dreadful manner."
Mr Mathers went on: "I think Mr Aitken was surprised when his not guilty plea was accepted and could not quite understand what was happening." 
Sheriff Andrew Berry said that he was in a position to consider whether Aitken's behaviour constituted a contempt of court which allowed him to consider a sentence immediately without any requirement for further consultation.
The sheriff said that the behaviour coincided with the accused's "boorish" conduct in the public benches during an earlier case which had proved distracting to the bench.  Aitken and his two companions had been "pathetic" in "showing off to each other"
Telling Aitken to leave the dock Sheriff Berry warned him not to repeat his behaviour should he ever return to court.

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