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Nwicker60
26-Nov-15, 19:33
Accused said he would petrol bomb officers' homes

A YOUNG man, who threatened to petrol bomb the homes of police officers, was jailed for four months today by a sheriff saying they are entitled to live in the community in safety..
The accused Martin Gunn, 24, made the threat at Wick police station as he was being detained, on December 17, last year, in connection with an investigation into an assault incident..
The serial offender was indignant in his claim that he was innocent and while entering the cell block he lost his temper and shouted and swore at officers, indicating he would carry out the bomb threat when he was released. Gunn,of 4 Queen's Square, Thurso, pleaded guilty at Wick Sheriff Court.
Solicitor George Mathers told the court: "The accused simply lost his temper and made this ridiculous threat. I don't think the police took him seriously."
Gunn had been taking drink and drugs at the time although he was 'clean' now, said the solicitor who added that the accused couldn't credit the fact that the police wouldn't believe he had no part in the assault. The accused's not guilty plea to that charge, however, was accepted by fiscal David Barclay.
Sheriff Andrew Berry described Gunn's conduct as "disgraceful" and "extremely serious" and went on: "Whether or not you were involved in an assault is one matter. But the police were entitled to treat what you said to them seriously. There seems to be a view that comments made by accused in the police station don't matter. It is just the police. Nothing can be done about it, because it happened in a police office.."
The sheriff continued: "This is a relatively small community in which police officers have to live and work and where their children.are educated. They have to feel free to shop and park their vehicles. There is no way that anyone here, today,could possibly know whether the threat was intentional or not and it gives me little reassurance to hear it stated, today, that you would not have carried it out."
Sheriff Berry highlighted Gunn's lengthy record of offences and non-compliance with court orders - the accused had been twice sentenced to prison terms since the bomb threat offence - and added that, in the public interest, only a prison sentence was appropriate.
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