Two on escape rap

Two Paisley men are facing trial after allegedly helping a woman escape police custody and preventing a fire engine reaching a blaze in the town on Guy Fawkes night.

The case against Thomas Donnell and Richard MacDonald called at Paisley Sheriff Court yesterday.

Donnell, 34, is alleged to have helped Chanel Donnell escape custody on November 5 last year in Lomond Crescent, Paisley.

The charge against Donnell states he “did assist the escape of Chanel Donnell, a person in custody, and did take hold of her after she had been placed under arrest, place yourself between said Chanel Donnell and police officers, and thereby allow her to break free from their grasp and run from said officers.”

MacDonald, 19, also faces a single charge in relation to the alleged events.

The charge against him states he did “while acting with others, assault, obstruct or hinder Green Watch Barrhead, members of the Fire Brigade, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and did stand in the roadway there in the path of a fire appliance then attending a fire, prevent the progress of said appliance along the roadway and repeatedly refuse to leave said roadway when requested to do so.”

After hearing that Donnell, of Grampian Avenue, Paisley, and MacDonald, of Waverley Road, Paisley, were pleading not guilty to the charges against them, Sheriff Colin Pettigrew adjourned the case until June for a trial and pretrial hearing to take place.