A thug who threatened to burn down a bar and throw acid in a cop’s face because he didn’t want to pay full price for a pint has been jailed.
Dean MacLennan, 28, punched, spat and made threats to staff at the Rowan Tree bar in Aberdeen in May this year.
And whilst in police custody almost a month later, MacLennan subjected a police officer to a tirade of racial abuse and threatened to throw acid in another’s face.
The 28-year-old, who has a previous conviction involving a similar acid threat, also bragged about assaulting cops, spat at officers and threatened their families.
He pleaded guilty at Aberdeen Sheriff Court to eight charges, including assaulting a female bar worker, uttering threats of violence and behaving in a racially aggravated manner.
Accused told barmaid he’d only be paying £1.50 for his drink
Fiscal depute Felicity Merson told the court at MacLennan’s previous hearing that he’d visited the Rowan Tree pub on King Street during the evening of May 16 and ordered a drink before “advising” the barmaid that he “only intended to pay £1.50 for the drink, rather than the full price”.
On being advised this was not acceptable, he began to argue, warning that he was “dangerous”.
He said he was going to call someone to come to the bar and assault the woman after she finished work.
He then threatened to set the bar on fire.
The bar’s owner, who had heard a commotion, told MacLennan to leave.
MacLennan went and sat in the beer garden area and, when the owner walked by, again threatened to burn down the bar and also assault him.
An off-duty member of staff observed this and placed herself between the two men, attempting to reason with MacLennan, who continued to be abusive.
When MacLennan spat at her, a customer then became involved and attempted to push MacLennan towards the exit.
The pair began to grapple and the customer was punched to the back of the head.
Police were called and arrested MacLennan nearby soon afterwards.
Court hears accused was racist and offensive to officers while in custody
On June 12 police had cause to arrest MacLennan again and he was placed on supervision through the night due to his “volatile behaviour”.
He called one officer an offensive name related to sexuality and threatened to bite him.
Other officers took over supervision and McLennan was “aggressive and threatening” towards them, making offensive comments related to one officer’s perceived nationality and religion.
He told him to “go back to your country”.
‘You’re gonna get acid in your face … that’ll be roasting’
MacLennan also pretended not to be able to understand him and mimicked his accent in a derogatory manner.
He also threw water at him and spat at him.
While under supervision by two different officers, MacLennan threatened to perform a sex act in front of them.
He also said he would assault the officers and their families and challenged them to fight.
He said: “I’ll knock you oot and won’t stop punching you. I’ve got so many police assaults, do you think I’m scared to do another one? You only get six months in jail, big whoop.
“What’s that, three months? Wow. If I come out and see you walking along the streets with your kids and your wife and that, something bad will happen to you.
“You’re gonna get acid thrown right in your face. That’ll be roasting. I’ll slash ye, stab the **** into ye.”
He also spat at one of the officers, landing on his forearm.
Accused had been ‘drinking somewhat’
Defence agent David Sutherland described MacLennan as having had a “difficult upbringing” that had had a “dramatic impact during his formative years”.
He added that his client had been “drinking somewhat” during the period of these offences.
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin told the 28-year-old that she was not prepared to deal with this in any way other than a custodial sentence.
She sentenced MacLennan, who appeared from HMP Grampian, to 22 months in prison, backdated to June 14 this year.
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