Hawick man who threatened to murder police officer is jailed

A 51-year-old man who threatened to assault medical staff trying to help him after he cut his hand striking the front door of a property in Hawick has been jailed for ten months.

Scott Shearman also spat at a police officer and threatened to murder them, as well as the occupant of the flat, during the incident in September last year.

Jedburgh Sheriff Court today (Monday) heard the death of his wife in the weeks before had led to a significant downward spiral in drug taking.

Sheriff Douglas Keir described Shearer's behaviour as "disgraceful", and said only a custodial sentence would be appropriate.

The sentence will start following his current spell in custody, which is due to end in December.

Verbal altercation

A clash between supporters and opponents of the Buccleuch Hunt landed a 51-year-old council worker in the dock at Jedburgh Sheriff Court today.

John Thomson, from St Boswells, admitted spitting at a protestor and telling her to stay in her car - or he’d kill her - when he came across a vehicle appearing to block the road at Borthwickshiels, near Hawick, on September 17th last year.

He’s been fined £300 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £20.

'Idiocy of the highest order'

A 20-year-old man caught driving on the A68 while almost three-and-a-half times the legal alcohol limit after crashing his car into a tree has been fined a total of £520 and banned from the road for a year. 

Robert Cromarty, from Jedburgh, had been attempting to make his way home from a night out in Galashiels when his Ford Fiesta left the road near Lilliardsedge Caravan Park and ended up on its roof, around 3.55am on December the 18th last year. 

The town's Sheriff Court today heard the young apprentice, who works for a plastics manufacturing company, had lost contact with a friend he had intended to stay the night with and suffered a head injury in the smash.

Sheriff Douglas Keir described Cromarty’s behaviour as “idiocy of the highest order” and said it was only good fortune no-one else was hurt.

'Permanent disfigurement'

An Eyemouth man has admitted striking another man on the head with a glass at a pub in the town, causing it to shatter - to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

It follows an incident at the Tavern Bar on September the 3rd last year.

Samuel McCarthur also pled guilty to acting in an aggressive manner; shouting and swearing; making threats and offensive remarks; and kicking the inside of a police van on the ensuing journey to Hawick police station.

Sentence has been deferred on the 25-year-old until next month for background reports.

Wilful fire-raising

A 35-year-old woman has admitted wilfully setting fire to a cardboard carton and placing it on the living room floor of her home in Hawick - causing damage to the carpet.

It happened on October the 9th last year.

At Jedburgh Sheriff Court today, sentence was deferred for background reports until July the 31st.

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