Man made weapon with bottle in sock

A Perth man, caught with a bottle wrapped inside a sock, claimed he carried the weapon to protect himself.

And when he was arrested and taken to police headquarters, 24-year-old Lee Mullen “became agitated” and spat at one of the officers.

The accused, who had earlier verbally abused a female in the city centre, was jailed for 148 days at Perth Sheriff Court.

He will also serve a further 74 days behind bars, relating to the unexpired portion of an earlier jail term.

Mullen, of Nimmo Place, admitted shouting and swearing and acting aggressively towards Michelle Harvey in Perth’s South Street on January 25.

He was also found in possession of the offensive weapon in Newhouse Road, Perth, four days later.

A third charge of spitting at PC Craig Smith in the custody suite of the Barrack Street police HQ was also admitted.

The first incident involving the woman was captured on CCTV, depute fiscal Robbie Brown told the court.

He shouted at her and called her a “f***ing liar” after she had made an unspecified allegation against him.

He was later traced in Newhouse Road and apprehended.

“When searched, he was found with a bottle tied into a sock in the back, left-hand pocket of his jeans.”

He replied, when cautioned and charged: “Defensive weapon.”

He was taken to the police office and while at the charge bar he “spat directly” at a constable and had to be restrained.

Solicitor Paul Ralph said: “He had been hanging about with someone he shouldn’t have been and shouldn’t have had the item.”

Sheriff Derek Reekie noted that Mullen had been on licence at the time after being freed early from a previous jail term.

The accused admitted a number of previous convictions.