Ex-con jailed for petrol bomb threat

AN ex-convict threatened to set fire to a police station unless he was taken back to jail.

Walter Sutherland alarmed 999 operators when he phoned them twice one evening to repeat his threat.

When officers arrived at his door in Bathgate, West Lothian, minutes later, Sutherland, 41, invited them in. He had two packed holdall bags sitting in his hallway ready to take with him.

Prosecutor Graham Fraser said Sutherland had given operators at Lothian and Borders Police contact centre his name and address.

Mr Fraser said: “He told the call handler he was out on licence and wanted to return to prison. He followed that up by stating that he was going to petrol bomb the police station.”

Sutherland, who has been on remand since the incident on July 1, appeared for sentence yesterday. He had earlier pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening and abusive manner by threatening to burn down Bathgate Police Station.

Sheriff Derek O’Carroll granted Sutherland’s wish by jailing him for four months, telling him: “This would give Scottish Ministers time to consider what should be done with you.”