An alternative healer assaulted a fellow camper at a Rowardennan campsite who had complained her sleep was being disturbed by her shamanic drumming.
Louise Devlin (39) “lunged” towards Paulina Turcynska, occupant of the tent next to hers at Cashel Campsite after 31-year-old Ms Turcynska “muttered a Polish word in frustration” at Devlin drumming at 11.30pm.
Stirling Sheriff Court was told on Wednesday that Ms Turcynska and David Aguirre, 26, had arrived at the campsite, about 1pm on the day of the incident – June 26, 2021 – and a few hours later Devlin and her ex-partner and three children arrived and pitched their tent next to them.
There were initially “no issues” but as the night wore on Ms Turcynska and Mr Aguirre became aware that Devlin was playing drums.
Around 11.30pm, Ms Turcynska and Mr Aguirre retired to their tent, but could still hear Devlin playing the drums.
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Prosecutor Ramsay Cunningham said: “This prevented them from getting to sleep.
“Mr Aguirre left the tent and asked the accused, who was sitting in the front passenger seat of her car playing the drums, to stop.”
Ms Turcynska joined them, and also asked Devlin to stop drumming, and on hearing her accent, Devlin asked where she was from.
Mr Cunningham said: “A heated discussion then ensured on the subject of playing the drums at such a late hour.”
Other campers were “attracted by the commotion” and the site manager also arrived.
Mr Cunningham said: “Ms Turcynska then muttered a Polish word in frustration at the accused’s behaviour, and the accused then demanded, ‘what did you say to me?’”
She then “lunged” towards Ms Turcynska and started pulling her to the ground.
Mr Aguirre pulled the accused off Ms Turcynska.
Other campers attended to “assist”, and Devlin said: “This is my country and these are my drums.
“They are here to colonise our country.”
Police arrived and Devlin was cautioned and charged.
She told officers: “I was provoked, they came to aggravate me.”
Devlin, a first offender, of Neilston, Renfrewshire, pleaded guilty to assault and using racially aggravated behaviour.
Solicitor Clare Ryan, defending, said Devlin had decided to go on a camping trip with her ex-partner and her three children, aged six, five and three, but “matters were very much strained” and as a result Devlin “ended up drinking”.
Ms Ryan said: “She had left her ex-partner in the tent and gone to sit in her car.
“It was a shamanic drum that she had.
“A shaman’s drum.
“A drum you would sort of bang as part of meditating.”
Sheriff Derek Hamilton asked: “At half past eleven at night on a campsite?”
Ms Ryan replied: “I don’t think she realised how loudly she was doing it, and obviously this upset others on the campsite.
“She accepts that she had taken alcohol, that she was drunk.
“She says she was sworn at, and there was quite a crowd gathered round her.
“Obviously it’s an unusual set of circumstances that she would be drumming in that manner.”
She said Devlin was “apologetic and ashamed”.
She said Devlin was currently claiming benefits, but was “involved in alternative therapies”, and hoped to become self-employed practitioner.
Devlin was fined £500. After the case, she refused to comment to a reporter.
