Bag of cocaine chucked during cop chase
A Cowie man threw away a bag of cocaine while running away from police officers investigating drug dealing.
Steven McCallum, of Farm Road, had admitted charges of possessing the class-A drug in Armour Avenue on August 10 last year – and intentionally obstructing two police officers in Armour Avenue and Scotstoun Road by running off.
The 35-year-old also admitted a charge of assaulting two police officers by attempting to strike them on the head as well as a further police obstruction charge.
At Stirling Sheriff Court on Wednesday, fiscal depute Alistair McDermid told Sheriff Gilchrist that constables were on patrol at 9.45pm on August 10 last year.
They saw McCallum in the company of a female who was known to them. The couple had exited an address in Cowie’s Armour Avenue. Officers had intelligence that drugs were being stored there, said the fiscal depute. They spotted McCallum putting his hand into his left jacket pocket.
Mr McDermid said the officers got out of their vehicle and approached the accused and the female. McCallum however sped up.
One officer told McCallum to stop, but instead he ran away. He then took an item from his jacket pocket and threw it to the ground which was found to be a bag of cocaine weighing 0.6g and valued at £60.
McCallum was chased by officers over waste ground. When they caught up, they took hold of McCallum.
As they did so the accused“took a swing”for constable Martyn Paterson. McCallum didn’t strike the officer.
The fiscal depute said Constable Paterson deployed incapacitant Pava spray, but it seemed to have little effect.
McCallum was pursued again and the incapacitant sprayed on his face. The accused continued running before being struck on his right knee by a police baton.
The chase ended and McCallum was restrained by the officers, but as they did so he tensed his arms and told the officers to‘f*** off.’
His lawyer told Sheriff William Gilchrist that McCallum lived with his mother and was in receipt of benefits.
At the time of the offence his mental health had deteriorated, she said. He had also been unaware, initially, that the men were police officers as they were not in uniform.
McCallum was remorseful and was “making improvements”according to the report prepared for the court.
The solicitor also pointed out that McCallum, out of prison on licence, was under the supervision of social work in relation to that matter.
It had gone to the parole board in August, but the licence had not been recalled.
Sheriff Gilchrist told McCallum he had been minded to impose unpaid work, but given the accused’s epilepsy that was not suitable.
He imposed a £250 fine on the cocaine and police obstruction charges and £300 on the charges of assaulting and obstructing the police officers. The £550 was payable at a rate of £20 per week.