A SPIT assault yob who hurled threats about bombing and knifing police has walked free from court — after being told to behave himself.

Drunken Sean Hill seethed at one officer: “I know where you live and I’ll blow it up with your mother inside.” Greenock Sheriff Court heard how the foul-mouthed lout — who was among a bottle-throwing melee — also shouted: “I’d stab you if you weren’t in your uniform.” Hill also spat towards a PC who was driving him to Greenock Police Office following his arrest, causing the officer to swerve the patrol vehicle.

Several police had been called to an ‘ongoing disturbance’ in the town’s Dempster Street when Hill initially staggered towards them.

Prosecutor Pamela Brady told Sheriff Derek Hamilton: “There was concern because the disturbance involved the throwing of bottles at windows.

“A large group of people were under the influence of alcohol.” The court heard how confused Hill, 21, mistakenly believed the police had put his cousin into a patrol vehicle and demanded to know why.

Fiscal depute Mrs Brady told how he was informed that there was no-one in the car and that he should go home.

But Hill persisted and issued his stabbing threat.

Mrs Brady said: “He continued shouting and uttered threats in derogatory terms, telling the officer ‘I’ll trail you’.

“He was arrested and handcuffed but continued with a barrage of insults at the top of his voice, also calling the police ‘rats’.

“The abuse continued in the police vehicle and without warning he spat towards the officer who was driving.

“The spittal narrowly missed but caused him to swerve the vehicle and the spit landed on the dashboard.

“The accused was not immediately cautioned and charged at the police office due to his level of intoxication.” The incidents happened after 11.30pm on 10 July.

Defence lawyer Andrew Kennedy said: “There is nothing I can say to justify his conduct.

“He was labouring under the utterly mistaken belief that his cousin was in the car, and matters went from bad to worse.” Sheriff Hamilton, inset, remarked: “He told the person preparing the report on him that he had a mask on and couldn’t spit, which is patently nonsense.” Mr Kennedy told how Hill, of South Street, Greenock, now had a job and had ‘made progress with the Moving On organisation’.

The sheriff said that the report on Hill was ‘impressive’, adding: “It’s up to you to show you can change.” Sentence was deferred until next April for him to be of good behaviour and also ‘make inroads’ into a previously imposed fine and compensation order for a vandalism offence.