Ex sous-chef spat at and kicked police

A FORMER sous-chef spat at police and kicked an officer on the chin.

Nicholas Clark assaulted PC Alex Pickering during a journey to a Kirkintilloch police station in East Dunbartonshire on December 7, 2020.

The 32-year-old later spat at two officers who were sat beside him.

He admitted the assaults at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

A hearing was told Clark was arrested for kicking bins in Kirkintilloch.

Prosecutor Jennifer McKee said: “He was handcuffed and put in a police vehicle.

“He kicked his leg out and struck PC Pickering to the chin.

“Clark began to spit at the two officers who were in the rear of the vehicle.”

Martin Hughes, defending, told the court Clark acted in reasons only known to him.

The lawyer added: “He was employed as a sous-chef and worked most of his life.

“Alcohol was a feature in this part of his life and fell into an addiction problem.”

Sheriff Ian Fleming spared Clark an immediate jail term.

Clark is already serving a sentence for separate police assaults.

Sheriff Fleming told him: “I would be fully justified in imposing a custodial sentence but as you are serving the equivalent of a two-year sentence, restrict it.

“I have the option to impose an alternative disposal.

“If you really want to see you are not a drunk, you need to contact organisations like Alcoholics Anonymous.

“If you come back to me in December and haven’t done anything for your drink problem, expect to go back to jail.”

Sentence was deferred until then when Clark is due from release from his current sentence.

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