Slamannan offender hit with heavy fine after biting police officer's hand

Connor Graham, of 28 Gowanlea Drive, pleaded guilty to assaulting the officer by biting his hand at Falkirk Police Station on December 27, 2019.

The 24-year-old appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday.

Procurator fiscal depute India MacLean said: “Around 5.25am police attended in relation to a separate matter.

“A search was conducted and the accused was found within a cupboard within a bedroom.”

Sheriff Derek Livingston asked: “Is it fair to say, for good or bad reasons, he was taken to Falkirk Police Station and something happens?”

The fiscal depute said: “He bites one of the police witnesses on his right hand.

“The accused was banging his head off a wall. He was in handcuffs and police were trying to restrain him.”

Sheriff Livingston referenced Graham’s record, which he said contained “quite a few assaults, one in 2018 for which he received various custodial sentences”.

Defence solicitor Lynn Swann told the court her client was being monitored at the police station because of concerns he had consumed drugs and had been in custody “for quite some time”.

Ms Swann continued: “It was the early hours of Boxing Day he was taken into custody and this incident occurred almost 24 hours later.

“He’d been taken to Forth Valley Royal Hospital to be checked over due to concerns about his mental health. He was charged and his reply was ‘I apologise, I was just stressed out – I’ve been in cuffs for 24 hours’.

“He has expressed remorse for his conduct and understands police officers were doing their job.

“He's in employment as a stone mason full-time and can pay a fine. The main concern is his partner who’s four months pregnant and she’s having a complicated pregnancy.

“She has a child who’s five. After that pregnancy she suffered a stroke and been in and out of hospital and he’s provided childcare.”

Addressing Graham, Sheriff Livingston said: “You’ve got a bad record and biting police officers is always frowned upon, even though you do seem remorseful.”

He was fined £600, payable at £100 per month.

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