A HELENSBURGH man is to be assessed for a tough drug testing regime as a potential punishment after he threatened police with violence in a Christmas Eve row at his home.

Charley Malone, 25, of Lomond Street, appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court for sentencing on Friday after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to charges of assault and threatening or abusive behaviour.

A background report by social workers on Malone was provided to the court in advance of Friday’s hearing.

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The 25-year-old, who was brought to the dock from custody, had previously admitted shouting, swearing and threatening violence at his Lomond Street property on December 24, and attempting to bite a police officer on the body at Clydebank police office later the same day.

Matthew Berlow, defending, said his client had been in custody on remand since January 27 after pleading guilty to the offences.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry, referring to the content of the social work report, said: “He [the accused] says he recognises the huge influence of illicit drug and alcohol use in committing these offences.”

Mr Berlow said Malone would welcome the chance to be assessed for a drug treatment and testing order (DTTO) – a tough regime which monitors offenders closely to see whether they are using illicit substances.

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Sheriff Hendry told Malone: “It’s obvious there are substantial issues you need to address. A DTTO might well be the best opportunity you ever get to address at least some of those issues.

“To be assessed, you need to be at liberty. You should not take that as an indicator you will remain at liberty; if you don’t co-operate with the DTTO assessment, it’s very likely that I will be sending you back to prison.”

Malone was released on bail and told to come back to court on March 15, once the assessment has been carried out.