Machete thug who threatened rookie Scots cop hours into his first shift jailed

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A thug who threatened a rookie police officer with a machete hours into his first shift has been jailed.Brave PC Ali Malik had confronted Declyn McNeill after missiles were hurled and a police car was rammed.A court heard he brandished the machete and warned “Come anywhere near me and I’ll f*****g hit you with it”.Earlier this month the 27-year-old officer relived the dramatic start to his career as the Sunday Mail revealed that he and colleague PC Andrew McLaughlin were in line for a bravery award.PC Malik was only four hours into his service, having completed two months training, when he was told McNeill and associates were in a stolen car on November 29.A pursuit of the Renault Captur began in Blantyre, Lanarkshire, around midnight which culminated in the altercation.PC Malik said: “I’m told this kind of day doesn’t happen very often.

It was important that we managed to get a man highly wanted by the police off the streets and recover a stolen car.“I was quite nervous on my first night on the street and could not believe it would prove to be so memorable.“Thankfully, all my training from the previous few weeks kicked in during the pursuit and arrest of the suspect.”PCs Malik and McLaughlin were nominated for the Team Bravery prize at the Scottish Police Federation annual awards.Dad-of-one McNeill, 26, of Blantyre, admitted police assault, culpable and reckless conduct and driving dangerously while disqualified.Sheriff John Speir jailed McNeill for 27 months on Tuesday, backdated to November 30 last year as he has been in custody since then.

He will be supervised for eight months on his release.The sheriff also banned him from driving for five years and ordered him to resit his test.Get the latest news sent straight to