Grangemouth offender pulled machete as cops approached

Jonathan Manager (43), who was said to have been experiencing feelings of paranoia at the time, tried to ditch his machete and his knuckleduster, throwing them away, as he was running away from police.

He then refused to come quietly and police had to use force in order to arrest him.

Manager, 111 Graigleith Road, Grangemouth, appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having admitted possession of the weapons in a public place and resisting police officers in Drumpark Avenue, Bo’ness on January 11.

Procurator fiscal depute Nhabeela Rahmatullah said: “It was 2am and the witness was in her home address when she heard a loud banging. She saw a motor vehicle and the accused was standing near it.

“He was opening the rear door and apparently searching the vehicle. The witness then saw the accused run away. Police were called and they found the abandoned vehicle.

“They started to search for the accused and he was traced in Bo’ness. He was requested to come and speak to officers and he pulled out a machete from his waistband and then threw the item towards a nearby bin and ran away from officers.

“He was pursued through a garden area and he threw away a knuckleduster. The police asked him to get down on the ground and he walked towards them, shouting aggressively with his hand in his pocket.

“After a baton strike to the accused’s leg, officers took hold of him and he was arrested.”

Lynn Swan, defence solicitor, said: “He was experiencing feelings of paranoia at the time of this particular matter. He is now managing much better and is back working.

“He knows he shouldn’t have had these items with him and he tried to get rid of them.”

Sheriff Christopher Shead said: “These are pretty extraordinary offences and will he doesn’t have much of a record, these charges in combination are serious.”

Manger was placed on a community payback order with the condition he complete 224 hours unpaid work within 12 months.