A DRUNKEN Vale man terrified motorists by running into the middle of the road and jumping in front of their cars.

Police were called after a concerned member of the public witnessed Iain Leitch’s alarming behaviour in Wilson Street on May 21.

Leitch, of Craig Avenue, Alexandria, appeared for sentencing at Dumbarton Sheriff Court last week.

He had previously admitted acting aggressively, shouting, swearing and threatening a member of the public – as well as assaulting a Police Scotland force support officer by spitting on them Fiscal depute Alasdair Millar said.

Leitch called the member of the public who phoned police a “f***ing backstabber”, and said “I will f***ing kill you”.

He struggled with police as they tried to put him in the back of a police van, and continued to shout and swear.

Once at the police station, he had saliva on his chin and asked if he could clean himself. When a force support officer went to clean it, Leitch spat at him, striking him on the right hand.

Defence solicitor Stephen McGuire said: “He doesn’t remember any of it.

“He relapsed for the first time in a considerable amount of time. Lockdown was too much for him.”

Mr McGuire said his client had lost his job in March and had also lost access to Alcoholics Anonymous support with the pandemic restrictions.

Mr McGuire said that while vehicles may have struck his client, Leitch accepted this as his own fault, and apologised to police.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry said: “Spitting at someone, particularly in this period of our lives, is disgusting.

“I’m available to avoid sending you to prison, but if there were a repetition, I don’t think I would be able to avoid it.”

Leitch was put on a community payback order (CPO) with 18 months of supervision by social workers. There is also a conduct requirement to attend any counselling or treatment if directed.

He must carry out 120 hours of unpaid work in the community within a year.