Man used homophobic slurs against police to get arrested

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A man who drunkenly dialled 999 to get police to an Aldi car park before hurling homophobic abuse at them wanted to go to prison, a court has heard.

David Websted called 999 to say there was a disturbance at the supermarket car park in Linlithgow, West Lothian.

When police arrived, he was the only one there, and called them “f**king poofters”, and hurled other homophobic slurs at them, in order to get arrested, reports the Scotsman.

Defending, Stephen Biggam said Webster was familiar with the court system, had split up with his partner, and knew he would be guaranteed to go to court if he used homophobic remarks.

As he wanted to go to prison that night, Biggam said Webster knew “what buttons to push to get taken into custody”. He said the defendant had been out drinking with friends.

Said Biggam: “He felt sorry for himself, felt he’d lost everything and had the strange notion that he wanted to go to jail.

“He shouldn’t have allowed himself to get into that particular state.

“He’s put his liberty and his family at risk and he realises he’s been grossly stupid.”

Continuing, he said: “Much as he wanted to go to prison that night, he doesn’t want to go there now.”

Webster pleaded guilty to causing a disturbance on 23 November by acting aggressively. and to making homophobic remarks to police.

He was warned by Sheriff Douglas Kinloch that he had risked his freedom, but fined him £400, to be paid at £100 a month.

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