Man is jailed after flat hostage taunt to cops
A Rutherglen man has been jailed after he claimed he had a hostage and gun and caused armed officers, a dog unit and police helicopter to be called.
Nathan Padden, 29, smashed the toilet in his Strathcona Place flat with a machete and caused a disturbance which led to officers racing to the scene.
Back-up was summoned when he claimed to have a weapon and hostage inside.
The damage to the toilet led to £40,000 of drugs being found in the property.
At Glasgow Sheriff Court last week, Padden pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on September 16 and five charges of being concerned in the supply of drugs including heroin, MDMA and cannabis.
Sheriff Martin Jones QC said: “You have been realistic about this, your solicitor presented your mitigation on that basis,” and jailed Padden for two and a half years.
Procurator fiscal depute Mark Allan said around 10.30pm police were called to the disturbance because a man was heard shouting, swearing and smashing glass.
He said when police arrived, they heard the commotion and members of the public came out from the common close to see what was happening.
Padden was spotted at the his bathroom window with a machete, causing “extensive damage”.
Mr Allan said Padden was “contained” in his house with police on either side of the door.
The court heard he shouted “I’ve got a gun” and “I’ve got a hostage”.
The prosecutor added: “Police made efforts to negotiate, asking him to drop the machete but he refused and continued to strike the toilet window frame.