Man who rolled out the barrel in nightclub jailed for 14 months

A thug who tried to roll a whisky barrel downstairs in a nightclub filled with customers has been jailed for more than a year.

James Lobban, 25, of Craigmore Street in Dundee, also made homophobic and threatening comments towards police officers and their families and assaulted his ex-partner, another woman and another man.

Sheriff Lorna Drummond told Lobban they were very serious offences and also revoked his current community payback order, which he had breached by failing to comply with social workers.

Lobban was jailed for a total of 14 months.

Inside Dundee’s Rendezvous nightclub on October 13 2017, Lobban’s rampage saw him approach his ex-partner Alex Purvey, in breach of his bail condition, before assaulting her. He then attacked Brodie Purvey and Andrew Scrimgeour before grabbing a whisky barrel.

He took hold of the large barrel and tried to throw it down the stairwell – to the danger of customers and staff in the club – but was stopped and ejected.

He struggled violently with police when arrested.

The court heard it took nine officers using riot equipment to remove him from the police vehicle and get him to police HQ.

Lobban admitted eight charges of breach of the peace, assault, breach of bail and resisting arrest, all on October 13. He also admitted that on April 28, 2018, outside a house at Dunmore Street, he assaulted PC Euan Mitchell, by spitting on him.

He further admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at police HQ on the same date.