Woman locked police officerin herhouse

Mayhem erupted after a woman locked a police sergeant in her house in a bid to stop him and his colleagues arresting her partner.

Thirty-year-old Paula Davidson then lashed out at the same officer with her feet and fists and tried to sink her teeth into him, Perth Sheriff Court was told.

Her boyfriend, 29-yearold Darren McDonald, also joined in the attack and resisted two other constables who had gone to their colleague’s assistance.

And as he was being taken in a police van to Perth, he issued murder threats to them.

The explosion of violence at a house in Strathallan Way, Auchterarder, on January 16 this year - led to the pair being handed down jail terms when they appeared for sentence this week.

Davidson was told by Sheriff William Wood that she had been responsible for the “most serious charge” locking the door, placing Sgt William Ross in danger and preventing colleagues from reaching him.

She was jailed for 16 months and also had a two-year Community Payback Order imposed for a separate incident involving a fracas in The Niblick pub, Auchterarder, on October 1, 2017, when she took part in a fight and struggled violently with staff.

McDonald, said by the sheriff to “have a history of violence,” was given 20 months behind bars, backdated to January 17 when he had been remanded.

He also had an extra 26 weeks imposed for attacking “innocent bystander” Heather Forsyth by seizing her by the hair in the Niblick incident last year.

A third accused involved in the Strathallan Way episode was spared custody.

Thirty-three-year-old Mark Faccenda, of Rossie Place, Auchterarder, will have to complete 300 hours of unpaid work within the next nine months and will also be supervised for 18 months. He admitted attempting to rescue McDonald from police custody and possessing a small amount of cannabis the same day at police HQ.

Solicitor Paul Ralph, for McDonald, said he had been drinking that day and the incident had “boiled over” when it became clear he was going to be taken into custody.

Lawyer Jim Lavery, for Davidson, said she was “clearly remorseful” for her involvement in what had taken place.

She had addiction difficulties in her personal life and would benefit from social work involvement.

A lawyer for Faccenda said although he had a record, he had stayed out of trouble for the past seven years but accepted he shouldn’t have become involved in the incident in Miss Davidson’s house.