Man with threat on life tried to mow down cop
AMAN issued with a threat on his life tried to mow down a police officer while thinking he was under attack.
Josh Stevenson attempted to hit Constable Graham Anderson with his Audi in Glasgow’s Cambuslang on April 21 last year.
The 26-year-old also collided with a police car while officer Alan Fletcher was inside. Stevenson later shouted at them: “I didn’t know who you f ****** were, I have got an Osman warning.”
Stevenson pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to two police assaults and careless driving.
The court heard Stevenson was spotted travelling at speed by officers in an unmarked police car at 11.20pm.
He momentarily appeared out of view before the officers caught up with him near his home. Prosecutor Sean Docherty said: “The driver appeared to be aware of police presence and increased his speed.”
Stevenson stopped his car as officers pulled in behind him.
PC Anderson exited their vehicle, shouted “police” and instructed Stevenson to leave his car.
Docherty added: “He refused to get out and immediately drove backwards at speed.
“He drove slightly left like he was aiming the vehicle at PC Anderson who was at the driver’s door.
“He had to take evasive action to avoid being struck by Stevenson’s vehicle. The rear offside of the Audi collided into the near side of the police vehicle while PC Fletcher was still in it at the point of impact.”
Stevenson was then pulled from the vehicle where he then made the comment about his Osman warning. He then tried to resist arrest by tensing his arms, pushing and pulling. Graeme Brown, defending, told the court: “Mr Stevenson did have a threat to life warning given to him by police a couple of weeks before this offence.
“He was on high alert for his personal safety and that’s why he was driving at excessive speed to his home address.”
Sentence was deferred until later this month for vouching to see if Stevenson could continue his job as a tiler if he was disqualified from driving.