Highlands man choked young girl after she called him 'chicken'
A teenager who choked a 12 year-old had his sentence deferred for the second time by a sheriff at Inverness Sheriff Court.
Paul Flint-Elkins, (19), had previously admitted assaulting the girl on March 29, last year, by placing his hands around her neck and compressing her throat causing her to lose consciousness to the danger of her life.
Social work reports were available when the case recalled for sentencing today (Tuesday).
But Sheriff Margaret Neilson agreed with defence solicitor Duncan Henderson that it was appropriate to further defer the case for a psychiatric report.
"I see the social worker has identified an issue," the Sheriff said.
The court had previously heard Flint-Elkins of Culduthel Road, Inverness, had come across some children playing in a lane of Ashie Road.
At the earlier hearing of the case Depute Fiscal Roderick Urquhart described how two 12 year-old girls were jumping between two walls or garages backing on to the lane and for some reasons Flint-Elkins told them: "I could do that".
A 16 year-old boy who was with the girls said he would pay him money if he did but he said he wouldn’t want to.
One of the girls said he was ‘chicken’.
Mr Urquhart added: "He went to the girl and said: ‘say that to my face’.
"He took her with both hands and started to squeeze her throat. The others tried to stop him but he wouldn’t. Eventually she went into unconsciousness then came too and was helped to her feet by the children."
The fiscal said Flint-Elkins was a first offender;
The case has now been deferred until April 24.
