A BLADE-brandishing thug triggered a major armed response by police in Greenock after sickeningly threatening to stab two officers to death ‘just like’ hero Westminster terror attack victim Keith Palmer.

Mark Derrick forced the duo to retreat and make an emergency radio call for back-up after the use of their incapacitant PAVA spray had ‘no effect’ on him during an incident at a house in Brae View.

Derrick, 26, stood at the top of a flight of stairs and taunted the officers to try to take his knife off him — then ‘marched’ down towards them when the deployment of their hand-held protection canister failed to halt him.

Greenock Sheriff Court heard how an armed response team were alerted and other units surrounded the property prior to the arrival of officers with riot shields on the morning of March 27.

Procurator fiscal depute Kevin Doherty said: “One officer deployed his PAVA spray but it had no effect on Mr Derrick, who then marched down the stairs swearing and shouting, ‘I’ll stab yous like that guy last week in London’.

“It was taken that this was a direct reference to the fatal stabbing of uniformed police constable Keith Palmer at the Houses of Parliament.

“As a result of the threats made, the officers withdrew and a major incident was triggered.”

Mr Doherty added: “Police set up containment around the property and armed response officers were despatched to attend.

“During this time Mark Derrick appeared at various windows still in possession of the knife and shouted, ‘Come on then!’

“Also, on various occasions he opened the front door and shouted, ‘Come on and take the knife off me then’.”

The court heard how police were initially called to the address at around 9am by Derrick’s sister regarding an alleged assault.

Just three months earlier, on Christmas Eve last year, he had kicked a police driver on the back of the head as he was being driven to Greenock police office.

Prosecutor Mr Doherty told how the Brae View incident escalated after Derrick appeared at the top of the stairs clutching a knife in his left hand before presenting it at the two officers.

He said: “Mr Derrick refused to put the knife down and swore at the police in telling them to ‘come up and take it off me’.”

The court heard how the officer whom Derrick had booted on the head last Christmas was part of the overall squad despatched to the siege.

Derrick, told him that he would be the first to get stabbed.

Mr Doherty said: “A particularly large number of local residents had gathered to view proceedings.

“All were able to hear the threats shouted at the police.

“Public order officers carrying shields attended and began to secure the immediate area.

“Mr Derrick realised that the game was up by this stage and he exited the property, placing both of his hands on an officer’s shield and he was handcuffed to the rear.”

But even then Derrick was not finished and he spat on a female officer.

He shouted: “I’ll kill the lot of yous.”
His not guilty plea to a charge of seizing his sister by the head and pinning her to a bed was accepted by the Crown.
Defence lawyer Gerry Keenan said: “He is under no illusions as to the gravity of the matters both individually and accumulatively.
“Maybe there are anger management issues in this young man’s life.
“He acted in a wholly disproportionate fashion and he is disgusted with himself.

“He has stayed out of trouble for the past two years, although this is a pretty spectacular fall from grace now.”

Sheriff Derek Hamilton told Derrick: “What you did and said is totally abhorrent to any right-minded individual.”

The sheriff jailed him for a total of 20 months.