A violent offender who kicked off at police who caught him breaching bail in a Perth bookies has been jailed for more than a year.
Thomas Proudfoot, of Lynedoch Road in Methven, was only weeks into a community sentence imposed for violent offending at Perth bus station.
The 28-year-old quadruple amputee, who lost his limbs in a 2012 train tragedy, was handed a community sentence for that incident but an early review of his progress left a sheriff unimpressed.
Just weeks into his supervision order, Proudfoot was found breaching a bail curfew at a city bookies and quickly became belligerent towards police.
The convicted sex offender had his community payback order (CPO) revoked and was jailed for 14 months after being labelled unmanageable at liberty.
Station skirmish
Perth Sheriff Court previously heard intoxicated Proudfoot was on board a bus parked at the city’s bus station on the evening of December 9 last year.
He became involved in a disturbance with a bus driver and another approached to defuse the situation.
Proudfoot spat at the second man, striking him on face and shoulder.
He apologised and extended a prosthetic hook to shake and the driver accepted the apology but refused to shake the hook.
Without warning, Proudfoot struck him to the left side of his face, knocking him to the ground.
He then attacked and spat on police who arrived.
Betting shop barney
After admitting three assault charges, Proudfoot was placed under supervision for two years.
In April, he was placed on a 7pm to 7am bail curfew at Glasgow Sheriff Court but on May 15, was caught breaching that at the Ladbrokes branch on Leonard Street.
Prosecutor Stuart Hamilton said: “The accused was alone within the locus.
“Shortly after 8pm, staff at the locus contacted police in regards to the accused behaving agitated and acting in a strange manner.
“He started to become agitated and was carried from the locus by officers.
“While being conveyed, he attempted to bite constables and the accused made threats to harm officers and called them scum.”
Previously, Proudfoot pled guilty to breaching bail, behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and assaulting two PCs at the Leonard Street betting shop.
Missed bus
The accused was brought from prison to Perth Sheriff Court to be sentenced for the Ladbrokes incident and for his CPO to be reviewed.
His solicitor said: “He’d regrettably been drinking. He missed his bus which led to the breach of curfew.
“The police were contacted. Officers hadn’t dealt with Mr Proudfoot before and seemed to be at a loss as to how they’d deal with him.
“That doesn’t excuse what he thereafter proceeded to do.
“He’s been in custody since May 16. Mr Proudfoot seems to be surprised that the report is quite as bad as it is.
“It seems that he has struggled to live up to the expectations of those who are administering the order.
“Clearly it is of concern that he is committing these offences.”
Unmanageable
Sheriff Clair McLauchlan replaced Proudfoot’s CPO with a six-month prison sentence, and jailed him for another eight months consecutive to that for his offending in May.
She said: “It’s a worry that he’s continuing to offend while he’s on the order.
“I remember speaking to you at the time the CPO was imposed and impressing on you it was a last chance.
“I’m not satisfied the risk you present can be managed in the community.
“I do not consider there is any alternative to custodial sentences for these matters.”
Proudfoot’s lengthy criminal record includes striking police with his claw after using his metal arm to break a man’s jaw, sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl on a secluded canal path and using his prosthetic limb to trash a convenience store.
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
