Home   News   Article

Ross-shire youth locked up for no-show at drugs trial





Sheriff Margaret Neilson sent Kennedy to a detention centre for a year.
Sheriff Margaret Neilson sent Kennedy to a detention centre for a year.

A ROSS-SHIRE youth who failed to appear at a drugs trial was today (Thursday) locked up for a year by a sheriff.

Darren Kennedy (20), from Maryburgh, did not turn up for the jury trial held at Inverness Sheriff Court last month and where he was due to give evidence.

Kennedy, of Seaforth Avenue, admitted contempt of court by failing to appear at the trial in Inverness on June 19.

Inverness Sheriff Court heard that on the day of the trial, Kennedy was instead sitting in Dingwall Sheriff Court to see how a mate was getting on.

Defence solicitor Ken Ferguson said Kennedy didn’t appreciate what would happen and how serious contempt of court was.

Mr Ferguson added that Kennedy’s memory was impaired with drug misuse and he was not confident he could give evidence because he couldn’t remember detail.

Sheriff Margaret Neilson said: "So he went to Dingwalll Sheriff Court so he could see how his mate got on."

Sheriff Neilson heard Kennedy was arrested at Dingwall on the day he was due to give evidence and he had been in custody since.

She sentenced him to a year’s detention in a young offenders’ institution, back dated to June 19.


Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More