Hallglen ex-squaddie told officers: ‘You’re not strong – you’re only polis’

Gordon Taylor (35) acted aggressively towards officers, even trying to elbow one in the face as he shouted at them they were not as strong as him because he had been in the army and they had not.

Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, Taylor, 35 Eriskay Court, Hallglen, had admitted assault, behaving in a threatening manner and failing to provide a breath specimen in Kingseat Avenue, Grangemouth on August 23 last year.

Liam McGuigan, procurator fiscal depute, said: “It was 11.05pm. The accused was in the driver’s seat of a vehicle and officers spoke to him – he was acting in an aggressive manner.”

When Taylor noticed one of the police officers was English he began to verbally abuse him, then turned his attention to a female constable, before attempting to elbow an officer in the face.

Mr McGuigan said: “The accused shouted ‘I’ve done two tours of Afghanistan, you’re only the polis – come to me, see what happens. I’m a soldier – you’re not strong because your in the police, otherwise you’d join the army’.”

Defence solicitor Stephen Biggam said Taylor and a friend had both been sitting in the car playing CDs and Taylor had not been driving the car at any time.

He added: “It’s correct he was in the army and did serve in Afghanistan. He suffered PTSD and became reliant on alcohol. He has finally had to accept he has a problem with alcohol.”

Sheriff Derek Livingston noted Taylor had three previous convictions relating to failing to give a breath specimen.

He placed Taylor, who got a four-year driving ban, on a restriction of liberty order to stay in his home between 7pm and 7am for the next eight months. He was also made subject to a supervised community payback order for three years with the condition he complete 240 hours of unpaid work in eight months.