Shouted abuse at police

A recovering Coatbridge alcoholic has avoided jail for an unsavoury incident with police officers during which he tried to refuse their help by stating: “I’m a loyalist and it’s marching season.”

Christopher McIntyre, 31, was found sleeping on the pavement by officers on Sunnyside Road last June.

He then behaved in a threatening manner and refused to desist when police attempted to calm him down.

The Witchwood Court resident pled guilty to his actions at Airdrie Sheriff Court last week and was ordered to carry out unpaid work.

The procurator fiscal said: “At around 11.35pm, police attended to reports of a male lying on the pavement.

“Upon waking him he asked them to ‘get their f****** hands off me’ and then said ‘I’m a loyalist and it’s marching season’.

“He was heavily under the influence of alcohol and asked police ‘can you not go and catch the murderers and rapists?’

“He was warned about his behaviour and told to go on his way.

“He walked a distance before turning back and shouting at the officers, ‘useless f******, go and catch the paedos. Hello, hello!’

“He was then arrested and taken to Coatbridge police office.”

McIntyre’s defence solicitor, John McGeechan, said: “I’ve known Mr McIntyre for a number of years and I’ve never seen him looking so well.

“He hasn’t found himself in any trouble since this incident.

“He has enormous difficulties with alcohol but is completely sober and has been for three weeks.

“He’s lost weight and can actually string a sentence together without swearing.

“My submission would be that he needs structure and unpaid work as part of a community payback order, which can give him that.”

Sheriff Derek O’Carroll said: “My initial thought was that a custodial sentence was not impossible due to the prolific nature of your offending.

“However, your solicitor provides an effective argument on your behalf.

“I hope he’s right, that an order can give you structure, but I suspect he’s not.

“Nevertheless, you’ll be under supervision for one year and attend addiction recovery services.

“You’ll also carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

“You will appear back here next month so I can review your progress.”

Lost rag at cops

An Airdrie man who lost his temper when police officers asked him to turn down his music has been given unpaid work.

Andrezej Pierscinski, 41, acted aggressively when police arrived at his Northburn Avenue property on January 26.

He shouted, swore, removed items of clothing, kicked a door and then, after being arrested, started banging his head off the holding cell of the police vehicle.

The procurator fiscal explained: “At around 12.50am officers attended due to a noise complaint.

“They went to the door and were given entry from the accused but he then told them to ‘f*** off’ and began acting aggressively.”

“He began shouting ‘kurva’, which is an offensive Polish word.

“They tried to calm him down but his behaviour continued and he removed his t-shirt before continuing to shout and swear before kicking a door.

“He threatened to ‘rip an officer’s head off’.

“He was taken to Coatbridge police office and during the journey banged his head off the wall of the cell in the van.”

His defence solicitor said: “He doesn’t dispute anything said by the fiscal.

“He had suffered a breakdown in his marriage and that was at the root of his alcohol problem.

“He has difficulty with hearing and that may explain the loud music but that’s not an excuse.”

Sheriff Derek O’Carroll said: “I think I should be sending you to jail today – but I will give you one more chance.

“You’ll be under supervision for one year and must carry out 200 hours of unpaid work in the next four months.”

Punched officers

A Bargeddie thug who attacked two police officers has avoided a prison sentence.

Ross MacKinnon, 27, of Sunnyside Drive pled guilty to assaulting officers at Queens Drive in February.

The procurator fiscal said: “Officers had cause to attend the locus and had reason to grab the accused by his arm to arrest him.

“He then seized the officer and punched him to the chest area.

“He then punched another to the left side of his torso.

“A call was made for other units to attend.

“One of the officers was pulled to the ground and punched in the back by the accused.

“They managed to control the situation by using spray and arrested him.”

MacKinnon’s defence solicitor said: “He knows the seriousness of this, but it was an isolated incident that he pleaded guilty to at the earliest opportunity.

“He’s a working man who operates forklifts and is in position to pay a fine.

“He is willing to prove it was a oneoff.”

Sheriff Derek O’Carroll said: “You can’t be doing this to officers who are just doing their job.

“A fine isn’t suitable here so you will do 120 hours of unpaid work in the next four months.

“This is reduced from 150 hours.”

Upon waking him he asked them [police] to ‘get their f****** hands off me’ and then said ‘I’m a loyalist...’