A man who set fire to his neighbour’s door before smearing his own excrement in a police van has been jailed for 30 months.
Vile Ian McDonald had a fight with his neighbour before taking a hammer into their shared close and setting his door on fire and then stating, ‘there’s going to be a murder by the end of the week.’
Once cops arrested McDonald, 39, and took him to hospital, he refused treatment and then smeared his faeces in the back of a police car.
Procurator fiscal depute David McDonald told Paisley Sheriff Court that Jason Docherty is McDonald’s downstairs neighbour and his son, Reece was visiting on March 21 last year.
McDonald had moved in to Ferguson Street, Renfrew, one week prior to the incident.
The fiscal told the court: “Around 9.15pm on March 21, Reece had ordered a delivery and when taking his order from the driver, noticed the accused in the common close under the influence.
“Reece could hear the delivery driver and the accused demonstrating in the street, and Reece shouted, ‘Chill’ towards McDonald.
“McDonald shouted back, What do you think, I’m a f*****g dafty?’
“The accused made his way back to his flat and then made his way back down to Jason Docherty’s flat with a hammer.
“Reece was able to watch the accused from the spy hole and heard him say, ‘Someone’s going to die tonight. I’m taking your eyes out.’
“Reece told his father the accused was in the close with a hammer and McDonald then stated: "The next person to come out that door is getting killed.’”
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The fiscal told how a physical altercation took place between Jason Docherty and the accused with Jason taking possession of the hammer before his son then put it in his dad’s flat away from McDonald.
All three men returned to their properties before McDonald tried to set the Docherty’s door on fire.
Mr McDonald added: “A short time later, the Dochertys could smell burning and heard crackling at the door.
“On looking out the spy hole, the Dochertys could see their door on fire and McDonald on the landing.
“Police were contacted and they smelt a strong smell of white spirit when they attended and noted fire damage to the door.
“Officers then attended at the accused’s property and observed blood in the hall and living room and that he was under the influence.
“Due to his aggressive manner, the accused was handcuffed and he stated 'There’s going to be a murder by the end of the week.’
“CID attended and analysis showed white spirit was detected on McDonald’s hands.
“Police also seized a burnt rag from the Dochertys' letterbox.
“On being taken to Inverclyde Hospital, the accused refused treatment and was then conveyed to Greenock police station where he continued to be aggressive and smeared his own excrement inside the police celled van.”
Defence agent David Nicholson told the court how McDonald had “fell off the wagon” in the run up to this incident. He explained: “Prior to this day, Mr McDonald had been teetotal. He fell off the wagon and when his girlfriend left he drank to excess.
“His interpretation is he was being mocked by his neighbour and that led to the initial altercation.
“He has no idea where he got the hammer from, and his interpretation is that he was punched first by the elder of the Dochertys.
“He accepts when in sobriety that no one in their right mind acts in this fashion.
“He deeply regrets his actions.”
McDonald admitted at Paisley Sheriff Court via video link that he was in possession of a hammer on March 21 last year in Ferguson Street and that he wilfully set fire to a door and did shout, swear and smear excrement in a police van on the same date.
Sheriff Gillian Craig said: “I’ve listened to these events with a degree of alarm.
“You were in that close with a hammer with poor intentions. You went to the effort of getting white spirit and soaking a rag in it.
“The possible consequences are significant and substantial.
“You were taken to hospital, you refused treatment and more disgracefully in a police van you smeared your own excrement on the back of the van.”
Sheriff Craig sentenced McDonald to 30 months in prison, backdated to his date of remand.
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