A MAN used his own children as shields when police tried to arrest him, a court has heard.

Officers turned up at a property in Stoneyflatt Avenue, Dumbarton, on May 29 after a report from a member of the public about a party.

Eventually they were given entry to the property and began to clear out those who didn't live at the address. When a female was arrested - her not-guilty pleas were later accepted - Hogan became aggressive to officers.

He began shouting and swearing, yelling "f***ing polis b***ards" even as he was repeatedly warned about his conduct.

As the woman was being put into the police vehicle, Hogan went out on the balcony and shouted and swore at officers again.

They re-entered the property to place him under arrest but couldn't immediately find him.

Depute fiscal Sarah Healing told Dumbarton Sheriff Court: "He had hidden himself within a rear bedroom within which there were three young children sleeping. They were woken up. He was using them as a form a shield to protect himself."

Eventually officers got Hogan outside where he began struggling and had to be taken to the ground before handcuffs could be applied. Even then, he needed his legs restrained as well.

As he was being taken to Clydebank police station, he continued to shout and swear and said "f***ing f*****t".

Hogan, formerly of Johnstone Road, Renton, and now of Dunbeg, pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to shouting, swearing, making a homophobic remark, and to resisting arrest.

Social work reports on Hogan had not been ready on the last occasion and Sheriff William Gallacher had branded him a "chancer".

Last week his defence solicitor, Gail Campbell, said Hogan had grown his business and was responsible for the livelihoods of 10 employees and that he worked "exceptionally hard".

She added: "This is a one-off matter."

Sheriff Gallacher said: "I'm not at all impressed with your behaviour on this occasion. I gave serious consideration to whether your record required me to send you to prison."

Hogan was sentenced to a community payback order requiring 225 hours of unpaid work be carried out within 12 months.