A THREE Towns man dodged jail for punching a cop and threatening to murder police after he asked them: “Who are you telling me to stop swearing in my garden?”

James Adams, 45, faced prison when he returned to court last week [Tuesday, November 17] after he admitted assaulting an officer as well as swearing at and threatening to shoot police.

However, solicitor Graeme Cunninghame argued his client had displayed a long period of good behaviour after time spent in custody for carrying weapons in his car – with Adams, of Gladstone Road, Saltcoats receiving community service for his offences.

The court heard police attended a home at Misk Knowes, Stevenston back in August 11, 2019 after reports of two couples fighting at 2.14am, with a male and female answering the door then “conducting themselves aggressively”. Adams then appeared shouting and swearing before he was asked to lower his voice – but declined to desist in his aggressive manner or allowed officers to explain.

The Procurator Fiscal told the court Adams then shouted: “Shut the f*** up, who are you telling me not to swear in my garden?”, before threatening that he would “f****** shoot”, and “murder every last one of you”.

Officers attempted to calm Adams down as he continued his tirade but he would not desist. Adams then punched an officer in the face after being informed he was under arrest.

Defence solicitor Graeme Cunninghame told Sheriff Shirley Foran his client and partner had been on a night out with another couple, which ended in ‘farce’, adding: “It’s fair to say a lot of drink was taken”, when Adams returned for sentencing.

He stated his client was given a five-year sentence after police found a knife, stun gun and CS-gas can in his car in 2011 – arguing prison had “wakened him up” with a long spell of good behaviour since.

He said: “He can’t remember punching the police officer and apologises for it. He accepts he’s got to be punished, but there are alternatives.”

Sheriff Foran told Adams: “Two serious High Court convictions I see”, but said she would “take account of you staying out of trouble”, adding that pandemic delays may have been to his advantage.

He was placed under supervision for 12 months and ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work.