Driver dragged officers after tense stand-off

ABuckfast-fuelled motorist dragged six police officers across a Perth car park as they tried to stop him from driving into the path of playing children.

William Mason reversed over a stinger and smashed into a police car as constables clung on to his vehicle at the end of a tense stand-off outside his home on Strathtay Road.

After he was pulled out of the vehicle and handcuffed on the ground, he said of one officer: “He’s lucky he never went under the f ****** wheels.”

The 37-year-old appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and pled guilty to driving dangerously while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

He admitted endangering the lives of six officers on June 11 last year.

Fiscal depute Michael Sweeney said the area was busy with families and children on bicycles.

“At 2.46pm, police received an anonymous call that a male was under the influence.

“Police officers traced Mr Mason in the driver’s seat of his black Mercedes car.

“The vehicle was parked facing towards a steep grass bank.”

Mr Sweeney said: “Police asked him to leave the area.

“They offered him transport to get there, but he refused.”

Mr Sweeney said the car’s doors were locked.

“There was an open bottle of Buckfast on the passenger seat.”

Officers made repeated requests to Mason to exit the vehicle. “He refused each time,” added Mr Sweeney.

Officers moved their car to the rear of Mason’s Mercedes.

“The accused said that if the police tried to enter the car, he would drive off,” said Mr Sweeney.

“He started the ignition, and then switched it off.

“A stinger device was deployed at the rear of the accused’s car.

“Repeated efforts were made by all officers to ask the accused to exit the vehicle. When the accused made further threats to drive off, officers told him that children were on the street.”

He said: “The accused revved the engine.

“Constable Samuel Ness utilised a hammer to shatter the offside window as the accused began to reverse. The vehicle went over the stinger and collided with the police vehicle. Four constables all took hold of the accused in an attempt to remove him from the vehicle.”

Mr Sweeney said: “The accused put the car into forward gear and revved excessively.

“The vehicle then accelerated sharply, pulling the officers along with the vehicle, and collided with the embankment, which the car climbed before coming to a stop.”

Officers pulled Mason out of the car and handcuffed him.

Sheriff William Wood deferred sentence until next month for background reports.

Father-of-five Mason, of Cluny Terrace, Perth, was released on bail.