A BLADE thug who knifed a police officer in a ‘horrible’ attack on a Greenock street is set to serve as little as eight months of a two-year prison sentence.

Ross Gisbey — who has a previous conviction for weapon carrying — pulled a blade on the constable before lunging towards him and lashing out in a violent rage.

Gisbey, 22, was so out of control that the injured officer’s colleague had to blast him twice with an incapacitant spray after he’d repeatedly refused to drop the lockback knife.

The violent Maple Road slasher had been facing three years behind bars, but was handed a reduced jail term under High Court guidelines because he pleaded guilty.

Greenock Sheriff Court heard how Gisbey bombarded the officers with a torrent of abuse because he was angry that they’d arrested another man on an unrelated matter.

Prosecutor Emma Jeffrey said: “After repeated warnings he pulled his hand out of his pocket and was holding a knife, all the time continuing to shout and swear.

“Officers drew their batons and shouted for the accused to drop the knife. He didn’t and an urgent assistance call was made to the control room.

“The accused backed off and then lunged towards one officer and swung the knife, catching the officer’s left arm and cutting his police issue top.”

Gisbey — who carried out the attack on May 27 — is likely to be released around its first anniversary because his sentence has been backdated to when he was remanded, and offenders routinely serve half of their headline jail terms.

During the incident he had been told to back off, which he did, before returning from his house with his hand his pocket.

Fiscal depute Miss Jeffrey said: “Officers noted that the accused was under the influence of alcohol. He was in an agitated state.

“The other officer drew his PAVA spray and the accused went down a short flight of stairs, holding the knife.

“The officer shouted, ‘PAVA’ and ‘drop the knife’ but the accused refused.

“Two short bursts of spray were deployed towards the accused, who threw the knife down before he became incapacitated and fell to the ground.

“Officers were then able to place handcuffs on him.

“They got the accused to his feet and delivered aftercare before placing him within a cell van.”

Defence lawyer David Tod said that Gisbey, of Maple Road, accepted that prison was inevitable. 

Mr Tod said: “He apologised on the day and would still apologise in his sober senses.

“Mr Gisbey accepts that this was a horrible incident in which to become involved.”

The solicitor added: “His recollection is at best sketchy.

“He accepts that he’s going to have to pay for his folly and his actions.”

Sheriff Andrew McIntyre said: “It is worrying to me and to the public that you had a knife in your possession and, as well as being abusive, you committed this assault which could have had far more serious consequences.”