Would-be thief spat at policeman

A yob with a horrendous record spat at a police sergeant after he was busted for trying to steal from a car in Paisley town centre.

Gary McCann, of Dalskeith Crescent, Paisley, was out of his mind on Valium when he started trying car doors in High Street on November 3.

When the police sergeant spoke to him, he spat at him, shouting out a warning that he had an infectious illness.

When the 33-year-old appeared in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court, he admitted attempting to open the vehicles with intent to steal from them and assaulting the police officer.

Defence agent Kirsty McGeehan said that her client had a bad record but had recently been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and had been welcomed back to the family home.

“Since being informed about the condition, he has remained drug-free, which is essential in order to manage the condition,” she said.

She added that that on the date in question,“it all became too much for him”and he swallowed a substantial quantity of Valium, which caused him to act in the way described.

The lawyer asked for matters to be adjourned for the preparation of background reports and, sentence was deferred until December 27.

Depute fiscal Frank Clarke said that there was an unserved portion of the accused’s last jail sentence to be taken into consideration as he had been released early on licence from his last prison stretch.