Four arrests after Wishaw funeral fight

FOUR people have been held by police after up to 20 people were involved in a disturbance following the funeral of a teenage boy.

Tracey Watson, 37, Charles Cunningham, 41, Derek Paton, 34, and Alexander Shaw, 18, were were arrested hours after mourners had paid their respects to 16-year-Dylan Paton, who died last year.

Police were called to the scene after dozens of people had gathered in the street in the Craigneuk area of Wishaw, Lanarkshire, where Dylan lived with his family.

Witnesses said the crowd - involving some as young as 12 - threw missiles at officers and vandalised police vehicles.

All four accused appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and admitted being involved with a catalogue of incidents on July 7 last year.

Watson, Cunningham and Shaw admitted being involved in a fracas that saw them resist arrest and use abusive language, while Paton admitted spitting at an officer.

Depute fiscal Imran Bashir said: “At around 9.45pm Tracey Watson became involved with the officers who had reason to detain a female, not the accused, who was known to her.

“She repeatedly shouted and swore at the officers and was told to stop her behaviour but she refused to do so.”

The court also heard depute fiscal Paula Russell describe how Shaw had confronted police.

She said: “There was a wake of some kind going on in the gardens.

“Officers began to make an arrest and Alexander Shaw began shouting at officers from a garden area.

“He was continually shouting and swearing and challenging others to fight.

“The incident resulted in around 13 arrests including Alexander Shaw.

“Derek Paton was also similarly arrested and spat in PC Strathearn’s face and was then taken to Hamilton police office.”

Sheriff Thomas Millar ordered Paton to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work in community within the next three months.

Watson, Cunningham and Shaw will be sentenced next month.

Not guilty pleas were accepted for a further seven people.