Not a good day to Die Hard

A Petersburn lout who kicked police officers and tried to jump out a window to evade arrest has been placed under supervision.

John McLean resisted the constables by struggling with them before trying to take a page out of the similarly named Die Hard hero’s action playbook by attempting to leap from the Eastlea Place property’s window.

The 25-year-old had earlier shown up at the Gartlea house to approach a woman on April 14 – breaching court bail conditions in the process.

Police then attended the scene and attempted to arrest McLean for the breach, which led to his physical outburst.

McLean was eventually taken into custody and later admitted both charges at Airdrie Sheriff Court.

The Cara Road native was back for sentencing last week following a deferral for background reports.

He will now spend the next year under supervision after Sheriff Morag Shankland sentenced him to a community payback order as “a direct alternative to custody”.

Cocaine charge

A Coatbridge woman caught with cocaine on her home street has been admonished in court.

Kelly Ballantyne was in possession of 0.2g of the Class A drug when police officers confronted her on Southfield Crescent, in the Sikeside area of the town, on June 15 last year.

Ballantyne owned up to having the drug during an appearance at Airdrie Sheriff Court and the 27- year- old resurfaced in the dock last Wednesday, when defence solicitor Fraser McKinnon revealed sentence had been deferred on his client for three months to allow her to prove she could be of good behaviour.

After hearing from Mr McKinnon and the procurator fiscal that Ballantyne had kept her nose clean, Sheriff Morag Shankland addressed her directly: “You have done what was asked of you, so you are admonished.”

Targeted cars

A reckless woman who caused havoc on a Gartcosh road by throwing objects in front of passing cars has been given the chance to prove she can stay clear of further trouble.

Suzanne Muir’s dangerous actions caused several vehicles to take evasive action on Auldyard Road on January 23.

Muir, who lives in Gartcosh, also brandished the objects and was charged with placing others in a state of fear with threatening and abusive behaviour.

The thoughtless 31-year-old pleaded guilty at Airdrie Sheriff Court and reports looking into her background were ordered.

Muir, of Scalloway Road, resurfaced in the dock last week, when her defence solicitor revealed Muir was currently under a community payback order relating to another matter.

Sheriff Morag Shankland then told Muir: “I will defer sentencing for three months. In the meantime, I will get good behaviour and community payback order progress reports.

“If you show up well in these reports when you come back [to court] it will go in your favour.”

Thief sentenced

A prolific thief with a penchant for DIY, smooth skin and cleanliness was placed under supervision at Airdrie Sheriff Court.

Lesley Anson, 46, began his mini-shoplifting spree on October 13 last year when he made off with garden tools from the B&Q store on Tennent Street and razor blades from Tesco at Faraday retail park, both in Coatbridge.

Two months later, the opportunistic crook was back in the town to swipe a gift set from Boots on Main Street.

Anson, from Viewpark, owned up to his quick-fingered thievery by pleading guilty to all three charges.

He returned to the dock to face the music last week following the completion of criminal justice social work reports.

Defence solicitor John McGeechan appealed for a “community- based disposal” for his client and claimed he was suitable for supervision.

Sheriff Morag Shankland agreed with this assessment and sentenced Anson to supervision for the next year, as an alternative to prison time.

Court no-show

A Coatbridge thug who left a woman fearing for her safety during a foulmouthed rant has failed to appear in court after admitting a breach of his subsequent punishment.

David Bain repeatedly shouted and swore and uttered threats at a property in High Coats, Coatbridge, on January 31 last year.

The inconsiderate 23-year-old pled guilty to behaving in a threatening and abusive manner to place his female victim in a state of fear and alarm.

Bain, from Jackson Court, was sentenced to a community payback order, which included unpaid work, at Airdrie Sheriff Court two months later, but was due back in the dock last week after admitting a breach of the order.

This is despite Bain being granted an extra month to complete h is unpaid work during an application to vary the order last December.

And Bain was nowhere to be seen in court last Wednesday, which led to his defence solicitor requesting a further deferral on his client’s sentencing.

Sheriff Morag Shankland adhered to the plea and adjourned proceedings on the breach until June 7 for “criminal justice social work reports”.

Sheriff Shankland sentenced him to a community payback order as “a direct alternative to custody”