A man asked police to arrest him despite not having committed an offence — and when they refused, he smashed a traffic cone off the windscreen of a police car.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard John May, 34, of no fixed abode, caused £600 worth of damage to the vehicle on Thursday in his quest to get himself jailed.
Fiscal depute Douglas Wiseman told the court May walked into police headquarters at West Bell Street shortly after midnight.
The fiscal said: “He approached the public enquiry office and stated he was wanted on an apprehension warrant.
“Witness Stephen Gallazzi carried out a police check, in the presence of PC Dean Morris, and informed the accused he was not wanted on any warrants at that time.”
He left the station, only to return about an hour-and-a-half later, again claiming he was wanted on a warrant. The fiscal continued: “The accused was again informed he was not wanted on any apprehension warrants.
“He then asked witness Gallazzi and PC Morris if he could be arrested anyway. Witness Gallazzi told him this was not possible.”
May left again but, moments later, Mr Gallazzi and PC Morris heard a loud thud outside.
He returned to the station and said: “You better go and check that out then.”
Both went outside and saw the front windscreen of a police vehicle had been damaged and a traffic cone was lying on the ground near the vehicle. May was caught on CCTV picking up the traffic cone and throwing it onto the police car.
He was arrested shortly after retuning inside. After spending a few hours in a cell, he appeared in court from custody, claiming he wanted to go to jail.
Solicitor Larry Flynn, defending, told the court his client was institutionalised and a drug addict, and that he wanted a prison sentence to help him “get clean”.
However Sheriff George Way said he could not impose a prison sentence without reports, and deferred sentencing until they were available.
May admitted destroying or damaging the property of another by damaging a police vehicle, at police headquarters, West Bell Street, on September 17.
Sentence was deferred until October 29 and May was remanded meantime.
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