Alness woman asks to be sent to jail after drug-fuelled offences – despite being offered alternative by Highland sheriff at court in Inverness today
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A woman asked a sheriff to jail her despite being given the opportunity to remain free and get social work support.
Julie Renicks, aged 40, of Kirkside, Alness appeared before Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald at Inverness Sheriff Court and admitted a total of five charges involving two days of drug-fuelled offending on July 16 and 17, 2021.
She was jailed for a total of 10 months and 15 days.
Defence solicitor advocate Neil Wilson admitted he was in an unusual position asking for his client to be sent to prison because that was her instructions to him.
After hearing from Mr Wilson, Sheriff Macdonald addressed Renicks directly in the dock and asked her if she would co-operate with a community payback order.
"This would give you support and allow you to maintain contact with your family," the sheriff explained.
But Renicks rejected the chance to remain at liberty and thanked the Sheriff.
The court had heard that two family members of Renicks had died unexpectedly which "came as a shock to her", Mr Wilson said.
"She addressed this inappropriately by abusing Xanax. She then became estranged from her family.
"But she has learned her lesson, weaned herself off Xanax because she realised it could kill her and has rebuilt bridges with her family. Her life is back on track and she is utterly ashamed of her behaviour." Mr Wilson told the court.
Fiscal depute David Morton narrated the details of Renicks' offending after she pleaded guilty to three charges of threatening or abusive behaviour and two of assaulting police officers.
He said Renicks had been arrested in Firhill, Alness on July 16 for shouting and swearing, which was then directed against police officers called to the disturbance.
She had to be taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness to be checked for facial injuries sustained a few days earlier and her disruptive behaviour continued in a treatment room.
Mr Morton said: "She threw a metal bin across the room and made threats to officers and the duty doctor.
"She was taken back to Burnett Road Police Station where she kicked one officer twice on the leg."
Mr Morton added that when she was released the following day she caused another disturbance at another house in Firhill, and was traced by police to her home nearby and arrested.
"On her removal from the police van, she spat at an officer but missed." Mr Morton went on.
