Perth gun threat man keyed police car

A Perth man, freed early from a 21-month jail term after threatening police with a fake firearm, damaged a police car in the city centre.

Perth Sheriff Court was told that the incident, which took place a month after Robert Lambert’s release, appeared to involve a key attached to a lanyard.

Depute fiscal Robbie Brown said the cost of the damage was estimated at £100.

Sixty-three-year-old Lambert, of St Catherine’s Square, admitted causing the damage by repeatedly striking and scratching the paintwork of the vehicle with the lanyard in Perth High Street on August 8.

Solicitor Michael Sweeney said his client had been freed on a supervised release order on July 9.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis called for a background report on the accused and remanded him in custody until October 3.

He told Lambert: “Firstly you are in a position of trust and secondly by remanding you in custody you will continue to get the support of the mental health team, which you may not obtain while at liberty.”

Lambert had been jailed for 21 months in January.

He admitted having an imitation firearm in the close at 5-6 St Catherine’s Square, Perth, in August 2017 with intent to cause police to believe unlawful violence would be used against them.

Lambert, who also gave a Nazi salute to officers in a separate incident, was ordered to be supervised for 10 months after his release “to protect the public from serious harm”.