Stag reveller rescued after climbing Edinburgh Castle

Firefighters attend a previous rescue from Castle Rock. Picture: Leon McGowran

Duncan Scott was high on cocaine and alcohol when he was challenged by a friend to climb the world famous castle rock.

Scott was in the Capital on his stag-do with a group of pals when he decided to take on the “grossly irresponsible” dare last May despite atrocious weather conditions.

The 29-year-old was seen videoing himself and taking selfies on his phone as he scaled the slippery rock face around 150 feet high above the roadway.

Fire fighters were then forced to climb out of a window on the Castle rock face in a bid to reach the stranded man.

Scott, from Harrogate, Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to conducting himself in a disorderly manner and committing a breach of the peace at Edinburgh Castle on May 2 last year when he made an appearance at the Capital’s sheriff court yesterday.

Fiscal depute Claire Crompton told the court concerned witnesses called in the fire service and ambulance crews after spotting the dopey tourist climbing the rock face.

Ms Crompton said: “Around 5am emergency services were notified there was a man climbing the north side of the Castle rock.

“It was raining heavily and there were strong winds.

“The man had no apparent climbing equipment and he was seen to be about 50 metres from road level.

“A rescue team had to go out of a window at Edinburgh Castle to reach the accused. He was taking videos and pictures of himself on his mobile phone.”

Scott was eventually rescued after an hour on the rock face and admitted to police he had been “challenged to climb the rock face by a friend”.

Scott, who represented himself, told the court he had been drinking alcohol and taking cocaine before he took on the dare.

He said he climbed over a fence at the city’s Johnstone Terrace before attempting to scale the rock.

He said: “I was taking videos of myself as I was climbing and sending them to my friends.

“When I reached the top I turned to come back down and heard a voice telling me not to move.”

A firefighter then exited a window on the rock face, abseiled down the steep rock and clipped Scott onto him before both men were pulled to safety.

The electrical engineer added: “It was a challenge – it was my stag do.

“I was under the influence of alcohol and I’d had a line of cocaine at a party.

“Other than that there is no real reason other than stupidity and bravado.”

Sheriff William Taylor told Scott: “This was grossly irresponsible of you to have taken the actions you did.

“The public purse suffered because of your actions and you should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself.”

Scott was sentenced to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work in the community.

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