A Dunblane yob has been given 18 months’ supervision for resisting officers by thrashing about violently as they tried to arrest him.
Colin McLaughlin, of Edward Street, admitted charges of resisting, obstructing or hindering two police officers as well as behaving in a threating and abusive manner while on bail on a separate matter, both at Dunblane addresses last year.
The 46-year-old had resisted arrest at an address in Edward Place on May 23 and behaved in a threatening and abusive manner in Charles Street on October 25.
Fiscal depute Ann Orr told Stirling Sheriff Court last week police had been contacted about a separate matter which caused them to attend at Edward Place.
The matter was dealt with by officers, but subsequent further enquiries led to McLaughlin’s arrest. The fiscal depute said on being arrested McLaughlin tensed his arms and thrashed about violently in an attempted to evade arrest.
Ms Orr added McLaughlin was “eventually brought under control”, placed in the back of a police vehicle and taken to Falkirk Police Office.
The Charles Street threats charge, said Ms Orr, involved one of McLaughlin’s neighbours who had heard the accused’s voice outside her door at noon on Sunday, October 25.
The woman did not answer, but McLaughlin shouted through the door saying he wished to talk to her.
She remained quiet, however, and when McLaughlin got no response he shouted: “I’m going to kick your door and break your legs.”
He also said he would get his sister to assault the neighbour adding: “You won’t be able to grass when you have been stabbed to death.”
The witness, who believed McLaughlin to be drunk, recorded the threats and abuse on her phone.
After five minutes McLaughlin left and she contacted police who were given the recording.
McLaughlin’s lawyer Ken Dalling described his client’s comments as “ill judged” adding: “He had not appreciated how far a line had been crossed until he attended my office and heard the [recorded] comments”.
Mr Dalling also pointed out there had been a significant gap in McLaughlin’s offending and there were no court cases outstanding.
Sheriff Wyllie Robertson sentenced McLaughlin to a community payback order comprising 18 months’ supervision for resisting arrest, with a review in six months.
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He deferred sentence on the threatening behaviour charge, also until December 8, for McLaughlin to be of good behaviour and requested a supplementary social work report.
He told McLaughlin: “That is an alternative to custody. If you breach the order that will be imposed”.
