An Angus man who threatened to “wipe out” Glasgow Airport in the wake of the Paris attacks last year has admitted bringing a knife to Forfar Sheriff Court.
Jonathan Arthur Gourley, of Cantsmill Farm Cottage in Kirriemuir, had a folding knife in his pocket when he attended the Angus court on March 21.
As reported in Wednesday’s Courier, the 43-year-old has also admitted a similar offence at Paisley.
When arriving at that court as part of his airport case, he was caught carrying a knife there in January.
Outlining the facts of the Forfar case, depute fiscal Kirsten Letford said: “On the day in question Gourley attended the court at 9.50am and the bar officer at the front desk observed the accused and another male smelling strongly of alcohol.
“The accused identified himself to the bar officer and went to the prosecution room. The bar officer later called the accused to give evidence and Gourley was seen drinking from a flask and putting it away in a holdall.
“When the accused walked into the witness box, the sheriff asked that he be taken away. The accused was taken to the holding cells and then another room in order for a G4S search.
“The accused was asked to empty his pockets and in doing so he took out a knife and put it on the table. He told the G4S officers at that time ‘it’s legal’.
“The accused was placed in a cell and the holding lock knife was seized.
“The police officer was called and the accused stated he had tried to free two calves from twine that morning and had forgotten it was in his pocket because he was in a rush to get to court.”
Gourley’s defence agent said: “He is a carpenter who is working on the home he owns. This offence was stupidity rather than deliberate.”
Sheriff Murray told Gourley: “As you are well aware you have pleaded guilty to a serious offence aggravated by an identical offence in Paisley.
“While my hands are not tied by Paisley, I am going to defer sentence for six months to monitor the progress of the community payback order there.
“I make no promises about the outcome and if you offend in the interim you leave me little alternative.”
When Gourley was found with a knife in Paisley he had been attending court for sentencing for a rant at Glasgow Airport in which he had threatened to “wipe out” the airport.
Arriving at the airport on November 16 last year, just hours after the Paris attacks which left 130 people dead, Gourley was told he was too drunk to buy a plane ticket.
He then said: “I’ve just pulled out of Syria. I was in the military for 21 years. I’m very high up in the military, I could wipe you all out.”
Gourley was given a community payback order as punishment for this airport comments and had sentence deferred until April for the nice offence at Paisley.
He will return to Forfar Sheriff Court for sentencing on May 18.
