A MAN who gave police a false identity in a bid to avoid being arrested for a breach of bail has been spared a prison sentence – despite what a sheriff called “a blatant attempt to pervert the course of justice”.

Alan Watson was arrested after being found by police at the home of his partner, in Muir Crescent in Alexandria, on July 14.

The 38-year-old had been granted bail at Dumbarton Sheriff Court last December on condition that he do not approach, contact or attempt to approach or contact the woman.

The bail order also banned him from entering or seeking to enter Alexandria.

The same court heard on Friday that police had gone to the Muir Crescent address on an unrelated matter and found a man – the accused – who told them his name was Brian Smith.

Fiscal depute Emma Thomson said: “He appeared nervous and shaky. One of the officers realised he was the accused and was providing false details.

“On July 17 police attended the same address. The householder confirmed the accused had been back and that they were trying to make their relationship work.”

Watson was subsequently contacted by police and was detained, arrested, cautioned and charged.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry said: “This was a blatant breach of a court order and a blatant attempt to pervert the course of justice. The question is, can custody be avoided?”

Watson's solicitor, Joanne Mortimer, said: “It would be my submission that it can.

“He appreciates he has put his liberty in jeopardy, particularly given his recent record and the fact he is on a deferred sentence for an analogous matter.

“He is on a community payback order [CPO] and, particularly since a recent remand, in March, he has been performing rather well on that.”

Sheriff Hendry said: “The trouble is if someone is doing well on a CPO, one of the reasonable expectations is that they will stop offending – and in particular stop planning to offend, committing an offence and then lying to try and cover up committing the offence.

“With considerable hesitation I will not send him to prison.”

Turning to address Watson, the sheriff said: “You should be thanking your solicitor – my first, second and third thoughts were that you should be sent to prison for a substantial period.

“You knew you were on bail. You knew you were just going to ignore the bail order, and when you were caught you gave police false details.

“If you set out to deliberately break orders, then lie to avoid responsibility, you cannot be surprised that a prison sentence is most likely to follow.”

Watson, of Old Shettleston Road in Glasgow, was told to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work within nine months.

He was also handed a restriction of liberty order which will confine him to his home each day between 7pm and 7am for the next four months.