“This is just pathetic – just pathetic": Sheriff scolds Buckie 18-year-old's unpaid work record
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A BUCKIE 18-year-old who blamed buses for his "pathetic" unpaid work record has been told by a Sheriff to: "expect to spend Christmas and New Year in jail if you miss one session – short of hospitalisation or death".
Thomas Stewart, of Milton Drive, Buckie, faced Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood at Elgin Sheriff Court last Thursday (August 24) in connection with an unpaid work order.
The young man was previously ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work but, ahead of his appearance, managed only 12.5 hours.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood granted the Buckie resident another six weeks to complete the work but rejected Stewart's explanations, instead claiming that the 18-year-old: "can't be bothered to get out of bed".
“The breach was admitted earlier," said Sheriff Fleetwood.
“He was told: ‘Go away and do them.’
“What is the point in making these orders if people are going to ignore them?
“There are a lot of people here today who might be walking away with a Community Payback Order and they might think: ‘What is the point in doing it, if the Sheriff will just bash you on the head and let you away with it?’
“If you can’t be bothered to get out of bed to do the Community Payback Order, why should I bother with you?"
Representing Stewart, solicitor Iain Maltman said: “This report is not a particularly good read."
Mr Maltman said some of Stewart's non-attendance was related to a car crash four years ago.
He added that some unpaid work had been missed because Stewart was supporting a family member in court in a case which "concerned his property".
“He is 18 and has not been living alone for a long time," Mr Maltman said.
“And has said he struggles with buses in Buckie."
"So he doesn’t get up early enough to get a bus?" said Sheriff Fleetwood.
"It’s not a problem with buses, it’s a problem with him.
"Other people get the bus."
Describing the 18-year-old's behaviour as "pathetic – just pathetic", Sheriff Fleetwood asked him: “When do you go to bed?
“Why don’t you go to bed earlier and get up earlier?
“Why don’t you get an alarm clock?
“This is just pathetic – just pathetic.
“You can come and expect to spend Christmas and New Year in jail if you miss one session – short of hospitalisation or death."
