Drink warning to teenager

Aug 22 2008 by Stephen Robertson, Stirling Observer Friday

A SHERIFF told a teenager who threw a beer bottle after being ejected from a Stirling shopping centre that he considered serving him with an Asbo to keep him off drink.

Stirling Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday how boozed-up Coire Tonner (18) had been in the Thistles Centre with others on May 31 and was asked to leave by staff. Tonner and two of his friends were later seen again near the toilets in the centre.

Fiscal depute Stewart Ronnie told the court: “They were asked to leave and were being ejected via the fire escape doors next to the toilets, which are covered by CCTV.

“The accused was seen, as the door was being shut, to withdraw a bottle of beer from a carrier bag he was carrying and throw it at the door.”

Tonner was traced by police around 15 minutes later and was said to be intoxicated.

Tonner, of 9 Cairnoch Walk, Denny, later admitted throwing the bottle at the door, showing disregard for the member of staff who was closing it at the time.

Positive

In court on Wednesday his lawyer Elaine Buist said that a background report was positive and added that Tonner appeared to have addressed his misuse of alcohol.

Sheriff Charles Macnair decided to defer sentence for six months for Tonner to prove that he could be of good behaviour.

The sheriff told him: “It’s clear that you have had a problem with alcohol.

“Sitting in this court today you may have noticed that the vast majority of offending for violence or public disorder arises out of alcohol.

“I’ve considered whether to impose an Asbo which would prevent you from consuming alcohol but I’m not going to do so at this stage because it would appear that you are doing this voluntarily.”

Tonner returns to court for sentencing on February 18.