Drunken Inverness teen threw bottle at car on A9

A TEENAGER threw a bottle from a moving car at another vehicle on the A9.

But Shaun Allan avoided a jail term for the incident despite a sheriff saying it must have been "horrifying" for the other driver.

Allan (19) of Boarstone Avenue, Inverness, had been in custody for a month after the case was called at Inverness Sheriff Court

Today, depute fiscal Claire Wilkinson told the court Allan was a passenger in a car at Inverness Retail Park at 1.20am when the vehicle in which he was travelling pulled up alongside another car.

She described how the driver of the other vehicle was sitting at the wheel when Allan got out and started banging on the windscreen with his fists.

"He drove out of the retail park to Longman but a vehicle came up behind him," she said. "He was being followed by Allan who threw a bottle when he was leaning out of his window."

Ms Wilkinson said this happened on A9 near the Longman roundabout which is a dual carriageway and the impact of the bottle damaged a wing mirror.

Police interviewed Allan at his home at 6.20am. "He was under the influence of drink and tried to head butt and kick the police officers."

He told them he did not remember what happened, the fiscal added.

Allan pleaded guilty to wilfully and recklessly damaging a car windscreen at Inverness Retail Park on July 7, also culpably and recklessly throwing a bottle at a moving car damaging the wing mirror and assaulting two police officers, by attempting to headbutt and kick them.

Craig Wood, solicitor for Allan, was working at a store in Kinloss and was a good worker.

"He said he was heavily under the influence of drink, has no recollection and is ashamed of what he has done."

Mr Wood said Allan knew the charges were serious and he eventually got the message about his drinking and now drinks "small amounts or not at all".

Sheriff Andrew Berry said he events were very serious and it must have been horrifying for the other driver .

He sentenced Allan to 150 hours of community service and also placed him on an 18 months community payback order. Allan also will also have to undertake alcohol and drug counselling.