A PEEBLES man involved in a bust-up with armed police officers who had entered his bedroom to arrest him has been ordered to carry out 210 hours of unpaid work at Selkirk Sheriff Court.
David McGarva, 38, woke up to find the officers in his room.
And when he felt his questions on why he was being detained were being ignored, he got involved in a confrontation with them.
He pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on the night of April 24 last year by shouting and swearing, uttering offensive remarks, kicking and banging his head off the interior of a police van and repeatedly spitting on CCTV cameras in a police cell.
The offence happened at his home in Dalatho Street, Peebles, and at Galashiels and Hawick police stations.
The court heard that police had initially received a call alleging that McGarva had been firing arrows out of a window with a crossbow and he had been charged with culpable and reckless conduct.
But that charge was no longer before the court.
Instead McGarva pleaded guilty to charges of threatening or abusive behaviour and also failing to comply with an undertaking by not appearing at Selkirk Sheriff Court on June 12 last year.
Prosecutor Drew Long said officers had attended at McGarva’s address and were given entry by the accused’s father.
They went into his bedroom and cautioned and charged him and he made no reply.
But McGarva’s behaviour deteriorated in the police van and at the police stations.
Defence lawyer Liam Alexander said his client had acted out of “frustration” as he had been woken by armed response officers and had been taken by surprise.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here