A thug who brandished a baseball bat at police before threatening to murder his neighbours during a drug-fuelled tirade has been placed on supervision.
Thomas Henderson was given a chance to prove himself by Sheriff Lorna Drummond, despite her claiming she had “deep reservations” about placing him on a community order.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard that Henderson’s daily drug and alcohol misuse coupled with untreated mental health issues had caused social workers concern.
The 28-year-old became incensed after being stopped by officers while walking his dog on Pitairlie Road on January 11.
Henderson refused to drop the bat when asked by officers before unleashing a torrent of abuse at them.
He pleaded guilty to acting in an aggressive and intimidating manner, brandishing a baseball bat towards three police officers, refusing to drop it, repeatedly making violent threats, threatening to murder his neighbours, repeatedly making homophobic remarks and urinating through a cell hatch.
Before placing Henderson on supervision for 18 months as well as ordering him to participate in Mentoring for Men, Sheriff Drummond said: “I’ve got real reservations about doing anything other than sending you to jail but I’m giving you a chance.”
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.