Cambuslang thug jailed for threatening to slit officers throat

A thug threatened to slit police officers’ throats “like sushi” and threatened to “chop them up”, a court heard. Eric Black, 29, blocked the path of a runner on Overton Road, Cambuslang and brandished a meat cleaver, that had the words “for chopping c***s” on the handle.

He was later found by police in a garden, where he was arrested and spat on PC James Petrie’s face.

The meat cleaver was pointed out to them and taken from a nearby bin while on his way to a police station with the officers, Brown said “I’ll slit your f** throat like sushi” and branded them all "monsters".

Black, from Cambuslang, South Lanarkshire, pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to having the blade on him on May 22, at Overton Road and Cedar Court, assaulting PC Petrie and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards PC Petrie and PC Paul Blair.

The court heard around 7.40pm a resident of Overton Road saw Black staggering on the pavement, heading towards his house.

Procurator fiscal depute Derek Buchanan said: “The householder and his partner then observed a jogger go past their property towards Black who was outside their neighbour’s property.

“They then saw Black block the path of the jogger and cause him to come to a halt.

“The next thing they saw was Black brandishing a knife towards the jogger, with the blade above waist height pointing outwards.”

The couple saw the blade looked like a meat cleaver and that Black waved the knife erratically on the road, then walked away with it in his jeans.

Mr Buchanan said PCs Blair and Petrie carried out a search of the local area and went to a house on Cedar Court, Black’s grandmother’s house which was his last known address.

Black was spotted in a neighbour’s garden, and the police went to arrest him.

Mr Buchanan added: “The police officers handcuffed Black to the rear while he was in the prone position and brought him to his feet.

“Black then looked at constable Petrie and spat on his face, striking him on the bottom left of his face.”

The officers then put Black back on his front and put a spit hood on him as their colleagues arrived to help.

Black’s grandmother pointed officers in the direction of a bin where they found the meat cleaver .

The court heard it had a blade of nearly six and a half inches and the word “for chopping c***s” written on the handle.

Black was taken in a police car to Cathcart Police office by PCs Blair and Petrie. During the course of the journey he shouted “I’ll slit your throat like sushi, pretty boy” and “You’re all f** monsters, picking on a wee boy, wait till I get out, I’m gonnae chop you up.”

He was kept in police custody for his appearance at court the following day.

Sheriff Andrew Cubie deferred sentence until next month and remanded Black in custody.