Teen lobbed weapons over railings in front of cops

A teenager lobbed a gun and a hammer off a motorway bridge after being cornered by cops.

Sozzled Alexander McGregor, 19, claimed he armed himself after being chased by a gang.

He hurled the weapons into moving traffic after being traced to a flyover across the M8.

McGregor admitted possessing the pistol and tool when he was hauled into Paisley Sheriff Court.

Prosecutor Tom Bowman told how the teen insisted he was under attack.

He said: “A number of witnesses observed Mr McGregor in possession of a hammer and what appeared to be a handgun and contacted police.

“He was seen to be holding a hammer in his left hand and a black handgun in his right hand.

“On observing police officers approaching him, he dropped both of these over the railing.

“He was on a bridge over the motorway at that point and both fell onto the motorway embankment.

“He began to become upset and said to officers: ‘ I just had the hammer on me because me and my pal were getting chased by these c***s from Renfrew.

“He told them, ‘ they were going to set their dug on me. Genuinely, mate. I’ve done f**k all. What would you do if there was c***s after you? I had to protect myself’.”

McGregor was stopped around 7.22pm in Paisley’s Arkleston Road last December.

Police checks revealed McGregor did not have a licence for the air gun.

He was also rapped for failing to answer the door to police during curfew hours.

The lout had previously been put on a Community Payback Order for a separate conviction at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

Defence solicitor Michael McKeown claimed his client’s behaviour was sparked by an alcohol problem.

Sheriff Tom McCartney revoked the previous order, placed him under supervision and told him to carry out 100 hours unpaid work.

He said: “If you do not comply or if you are involved in any further offending behaviour, it is likely you are going to face a sentence of detention in respect of these matters.”

Sentence on the gun and hammer incident and failing to answer the door to police was deferred until next month.