Fire-raising yob is back in the dock after pub mayhem

Thug faces jail after causing rammy and attacking cop

A notorious yob who sparked mayhem in a Paisley pub and then attacked a police officer outside is facing a prison stretch.

Convicted firebug Margaret Woods - who has a lengthy criminal record - landed in hot water again after causing a rumpus at the Craigielea Bar in the town’s Well Street.

The accused stomped in to the pub on April 21 and started swearing and shouting at customers inside.

At one point she was alleged to have picked up a snooker ball as if to throw it.

However, at Paisley Sheriff Court, prosecutors agreed to drop that charge from her complaint.

When police were called to the incident, tanked- up Woods, 37, of Paisley’s Abercorn Street assaulted an officer as he was taking her into custody.

The accused kicked the Paisley constable on the body as he was attempting to place her in the back of the vehicle.

The accused pleaded guilty to charges of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner likely to cause fear and alarm by shouting and swearing at the Craigielea Bar. She also admitted carrying out the offence while out on bail from the sheriff court and pleaded guilty to charges of assaulting a police constable by kicking him on the body during the execution of his duties.

Defence agent Kirsty McGeehan told the court: “My client is pleading guilty to the charges as amended and there is a schedule of previous convictions.

“She is in custody on other matters and is due to the appear before Sheriff Susan Sinclair later this month in respect of these affairs.

“I would ask that sentence on her be deferred until she appears in connection these other matters before Sheriff Sinclair.”

Fiscal depute Maureen McGovern indicated the Crown had no objection to the accused being remanded in custody while awaiting disposal on other proceedings.

Sheriff Kevin Duffy told the accused: “Sentence will be deferred until May 22 and as there is no application for bail you will be remanded in custody until that date.”

Woods previously sparked terror for a Paisley couple when she set fire to curtains at a flat in the town’s Auchentorlie Quadrant.

And in another incident, she smashed a car window and tried to set fire to another motor by tossing lit paper inside.