Thug threatened PC with syringes... but escapes punishment
A DRUG addict who brandished two syringes at a policeman walked free from court yesterday.
Peter Hutchison was found guilty of pointing the needles at the officer, who had confronted him for breaking bail.
But yesterday a sheriff said that Hutchison, who has a lengthy criminal record, had already spent 100 days in custody awaiting trial.
Sheriff David Mackie added: ‘Taking into account the period on remand, I’ll admonish you.’
Scottish Tory community safety spokesman Oliver Mundell said: ‘This kind of sentence sends out completely the wrong message, especially to criminals who think it’s acceptable to attack policemen and women.
‘These officers put their own safety on the line every day yet they are not being backed up by the courts.’
Hutchison was found guilty by a jury after a two-day trial of uncapping first one and then a second hypodermic syringe and pointing them at the policeman who had gone to arrest him.
The incident on March 14 happened about 5.30pm in Falkirk High Street, Stirling Sheriff Court was told. Hutchison, 24, ‘became aggressive’ when PC Colin McInally took him by the arm, freed himself by wriggling out of his jacket, and told the officer, who was alone, “I’ve got a tool”.’
Jurors were shown CCTV footage in which Hutchison is seen to take a syringe out of his pocket, uncap it, and hold it towards the officer. PC McInally, 28, said he thought Hutchison, who has a record including assault to severe injury, might lunge.
He said: ‘I backed off, pulled my baton out to keep him away from me. He held the needle up and told me to f*** off.’
As PC McInally shouted for backup, Hutchison fumbled and dropped the weapon, which the officer stood on and kicked away, but Hutchison went back into his pocket and brought out a second syringe, which he also uncapped and brandished.
Other officers arrived at the scene and, outnumbered, Hutchison re-capped the second needle and put it away. He was then arrested.
Jurors found Hutchison, of Falkirk, guilty of struggling with and assaulting the officer by brandishing the needles at him, and breaching bail.
Prosecutor Sarah Lumsden said Hutchison had ‘an extremely lengthy record of previous convictions, including using a weapon, fighting with police officers, breaking bail, and disorder’.
Asking for leniency, defence solicitor Gordon Addison suggested the sheriff should obtain reports before sentencing.
But Sheriff David Mackie ordered the accused should be released immediately.
He said: ‘I think the characterisation of you by the Crown is a little harsh.’
A spokesman for the Crown Office said: ‘As with all cases, the Crown will consider the sentence and give consideration to whether it might be unduly lenient.’
Meanwhile, health chiefs and council bosses have written to Lord Advocate James Wolffe, QC, about their bid to set up a heroin ‘shooting gallery’.
Addicts would be able to bring drugs to inject under supervision, while others would be given medical-grade heroin at the ‘safer consumption’ facility in Glasgow.
Project organisers are lobbying Mr Wolffe to give them an exemption from the law, which would grant addicts protection from prosecution.
A Crown Office spokesman said: ‘We can confirm the Lord Advocate has received correspondence from the Glasgow City Integration Joint Board.’