by Craig Borland​

CLYDEBANK police were forced to call in reinforcements from Dumbarton to tackle a fight at a high-rise flat after a neighbour complained of loud music.

Every available officer – 13 in total – in the Clydebank and Dumbarton area was asked to help at the scene of the drunken disturbance at the Edmonstone Court tower block in Yoker.

Seven men ended up being arrested and charged after police were forced to use handcuffs to restrain them.

Four of them – Gregor Bowman, 21, Liam Clarke, 20, and Thomas Robertson and James Mooney, both 19 – appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court for sentencing last week on charges of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and obstructing or hindering no fewer than 13 police constables.

A warrant was issued for the arrest of a fifth accused, 23-year-old Robert Bannantyne, after he failed to turn up for the August 11 hearing.

Fiscal depute Eoin McGinty told the court police had gone to the flat at 10.30pm on Thursday, October 15 last year after being told a group of people were causing a disturbance and making excessive noise.

“Police attended,” Mr McGinty said, “and could immediately hear loud music.

“They knocked on the door of the flat and the accused Bannantyne came to the landing. He identified himself as the householder, but he was uncooperative and obstructive and refused to let police in.

“The accused Mooney then appeared, and was repeatedly warned to calm down, but refused to do so and was held back by family within the property.”

Mr McGinty said police were forced to call for help as the situation escalated; when they went into the property, the people inside formed a disorderly crowd and were “displaying extremely agitated and aggressive behaviour”.

Mr McGinty continued: “Police sought assistance from every available officer in Dumbarton and Clydebank.

“The accused Mooney had to be held back due to his eagerness to get to police and his extreme agression. He told police 'you've no right to be here, you f****** scumbag b******s'.

“The police were involved for some considerable time. The accused were all arrested, but each struggled with police and had to be restrained using handcuffs.

“None of the accused were cautioned and charged – they were simply too drunk.”

Solicitor Lauren Kerr, who appeared in court representing both Bowman and Clarke, said of the former: “He had been sleeping but was awoken when police arrived and the matter kicked off.

“He doesn't attempt to minimise his responsibility – he fully accepts he shouldn't have behaved in that manner.”

Scott Adair, defending Robertson, said his client was a first offender and suggested that deferring sentence for him to be of good behaviour might be the best way of dealing with the matter.

But Sheriff William Gallacher decided to order all four to carry out unpaid work in the community.

Bowman, of Queen Mary Gardens in Clydebank, and Clarke, of Bellgrove Street, Dennistoun, were each told to do 130 hours' work within six months, while Robertson, of Fullers Gate in Faifley, and Mooney, of North Elgin Street, Whitecrook, were sentenced to a hundred hours apiece.

The sheriff told the quartet: “I have no idea why you were there in the first place. It may have started off as a great night. But by the time of the latter part of the evening it was not all right.

“Rather than taking down the temperature all of you decided you could just behave in an utterly reprehensible way.

“I think there is a way that rather than being a nuisance and a liability, you can all give something back to the community.

I do not expect to see any of you again. If I do see you again, you will all be dealt with far more significantly.”