Alcoholic is jailed to try to prevent a death sentence

Trevor Muirhead (40)) was reportedly six months away from death when he appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday.

Sheriff Derek Livingston basically sentenced him to prison for 582 days in order to give him a chance to get off the booze and save his life.

In the space of two months Muirhead had sunk so low due to his alcohol abuse he bought a bottle of Cactus Jack for a 15-year-old girl, fired an air rifle at birds, sent texts to his ex saying he was going to stab her and threatened to kill shop staff when they would not let him into the premises.

When he was arrested for that last offence he started throwing his excrement over the walls of the police cell.

Muirhead pled guilty to charges of buying alcohol on behalf of a child, assault, threatening behaviour and breach of the peace at various locations in Grangemouth between March 18 and June 14 last year and malicious defecation of a cell at Falkirk Police Station on June 2, 2016.

The court heard about instances of Muirhead’s erratic and dangerous behaviour, including the time he emerged from his home, 7 Yarrow Place, Grangemouth, and started taking repeated potshots at birds perched on his TV aerial.

Defence solicitor Simon Hutchison said: “Alcohol is at the heart of everything for him. He has been reducing his alcohol intake but he is still drinking a ridiculous amount.”

Sheriff Livingston said: “You have been given six months to live if you don’t stop drinking alcohol. You have come to the end of the road. Any further community orders are a waste of time for you and everyone else.

“It is in your own interests to be placed in custody. I hope this has the effect of assisting you with your alcohol problems.”

Forth Valley Addictions Support and Counselling (ASC) offers help to alcoholics. Visit www.asc.me.uk or call (01324) 874969.