Brick and knife thug faces life behind bars

Gary Polland (30), who previously lived in Stenhousemuir, armed himself with two knives and lay in wait for his victim before attacking him and inflicting two wounds on him in Arthurs Drive, Stenhousemuir.

Polland also hurled a half brick at the heads of door stewards at the Warehouse nightclub in Burnbank Road, Falkirk after he was ejected from the premises.

At the High Court in Edinburgh today Lord Pentland called for a full risk assessment report to be prepared on Polland which can lead to the court imposing an Order for Lifelong Restriction – in other words a life sentence.

The judge pointed out Polland had now committed three offences involving the endangerment of the lives of others and said: “There are concerns, I think, about public safety in this case.”

Polland was earlier found guilty of a string of offences, including assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of life and recklessly throwing a half brick to the danger of lives on May 13, 2016, after a trial at Stirling Sheriff Court.

The case was then referred to the High Court because of its greater powers of sentencing.

Sentence was deferred on Polland ahead of a further hearing in April and he was remanded in custody.