Drunken lout hurled abuse at the police

A repeat offender who hurled foul-mouthed abuse at police following a drunken domestic disturbance on Boxing Day has been given a chance to change his ways.

Christopher Hughes, of Pine Crescent, Greenhills, broke bail when he repeatedly shouted and swore at his partner and challenged others to fight at an address in Tiber Avenue, Motherwell.

The 30-year-old also made violent threats and struggled with police officers, attempting to kick them.

Hamilton Sheriff Court heard how officers spoke to Hughes’s partner at around 6.50am on December 26.

The fiscal depute told how Hughes had become abusive towards her, shouting and swearing.

Cops went to the bedroom where they saw Hughes lying on the bed in a drunken state.

He shouted at police: “Wait till I see you outside”, and “You’re nothing but a baldy b ***** d”, before challenging them to a fight.

This abusive behaviour continued during the journey to Hamilton Police Office. Hughes pled guilty to a charge of threatening behaviour.

Defending, solicitor Marco Guarino told the court his client had substance and alcohol misuse problems and had fairly significant psychiatric problems.

Sentencing Hughes, Sheriff Allan McKay said: “You need to face up to your difficulties.

“You have started to do that but this is a long road that has no end, you must accept that.”

Sentence was deferred for six months for Hughes to be of good behaviour. He was ordained to appear.

Hughes was disqualified from driving for 18 months after admitting a separate road traffic offence.

He had failed to provide police with two specimens of breath for analysis at Hamilton Police Office on February 26 after he was suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol at Kelvin Drive, Maxwellton Road and Bolingbroke in East Kilbride.

Sheriff McKay placed Hughes under a supervision and conduct order for a period of one year and ordered him to attend alcohol or substance misuse counselling.