A court has been given a stark warning about the dangers of ketamine use after a Fife man got “out his nut” on the drug and committed a series of disturbing crimes.
Kieran Heggie, who has developed ketamine bladder syndrome which permanently damages the urinary tract, had taken the drug before his crime spree.
The former boxer was stopped by police twice in the same day after he exposed himself to them, urinated on an electrical box and punched a car driver.
At Dunfermline Sheriff Court, defence lawyer Kerr Sneddon said his client, of Carden Avenue, Cardenden, had been acting out of character because the 21-year-old is generally polite and personable to deal with.
The solicitor said ketamine – normally a horse tranquiliser – seems “more prevalent in youth these days,” possibly due to it being cheaper than cocaine and that his client would need to address the problem of taking it.
Mr Sneddon said his client had said he “got himself out his nut”.
Sheriff Garry Sutherland told Heggie: “You are a young man who unfortunately has been in the grip of drugs.
“You have done yourself real harm from this from what I hear and see and in your response to social workers, you had no idea what had gone on or how you behaved that day.
“If I were you, I’d be terrified by that.
“Carry on like that and you will end up in jail”.
Flashed police and hit driver
Heggie’s offending took place on March 8 this year in Cardenden, Cowdenbeath and Kelty.
Prosecutor Amy Robertson said police gave under-the-influence Heggie a lift to his father’s address in Kelty at about midday, after receiving a report of a male on a road.
The fiscal depute said: “When leaving the marked police vehicle the accused turned to police and proceeded to pull down his trousers, exposing his penis, before pulling his trousers up and entering his father’s address.”
Police felt it was not suitable to charge him at this time due to his level of intoxication.
Ms Robertson said, about an hour later, a man driving on Perth Road in Cowdenbeath stopped at a set of temporary traffic lights.
Heggie was standing at the side of the road trying to “thumb a lift from passing drivers”.
The fiscal depute continued: “The accused thereafter approached the passenger side of (the man’s) car while stationary, opened the door and entered the car.
“He demanded (the man) drive him to the Glenrothes area but (the man) refused and attempted to drive off.
“At the point of trying to drive off, the accused struck him once to the face”.
Heggie then got out and walked off.
The man was uninjured but shaken.
Arrested after further chaotic scenes in Fife
At around 3.40pm, a Cardenden resident became aware of Heggie under the influence and stumbling in the street.
Ms Robertson said: “The accused pulled down his tracksuit bottoms, exposing himself, and began to urinate against an electrical box.”
The witness was concerned for Heggie’s safety but chose not to approach him due to the way he was acting and instead, recorded him on his phone.
About 15 minutes later another man returned home and saw Heggie standing on the road.
Heggie attempted to open the man’s car door and tried to speak to him.
The fiscal said Heggie stated words similar to “let me in, I have a big c**k” and the man drove off.
At around 5pm another witness reported Heggie to police after he was seen “stumbling in the street, smiling, with his hands down his trousers”.
Police arrived about 20 minutes later and found Heggie. He was arrested after they viewed the video footage recorded earlier.
No sexual element
Heggie pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at temporary traffic lights at Perth Road, Cowdenbeath, intentionally exposing himself in Kelty and conducting himself in a disorderly manner in Cardenden.
The court was told the offending did not contain a significant sexual element.
Sheriff Sutherland noted Heggie had only one previous conviction and ordered him to carry out a total of 160 hours of unpaid work.
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