A WEE COUNTY man has been sentenced to a year in prison after appearing at Alloa Sheriff Court last week charged with attacking police officers.

Scott Mitchell also pleaded guilty to theft, obstructing arrest and behaving in a threatening manner when he appeared from custody last week.

The 37-year-old had already appeared and admitted stealing a quantity of coins on two separate occasions from Sterling Mills, Tillicoultry. The first occasion was June 7 before returning and repeating the offence at the same store on July 6.

The majority of his charges, however, come from a two day period in late July. On the 25th of the month at Jamieson Gardens, Tillicoultry, Mitchell entered the curtilage of the property.

The accused hid in the garden of the property before confronting two residents and behaving aggressively towards them. Mitchell shouted and swore at the pair before threatening to burn their house down.

Two days later, Mitchell, at his own address on Cairnton Place, Tillicoultry, obstructed two female police officers from arresting him by attempting to close a door on them before engaging in a violent struggle with them and lashing out at them with his arms.

Mitchell then assaulted one of the officers by seizing her clothing, dragging her to the ground before kicking her on the head and attempting to punch her.

The accused then moved on to the other police constable and repeatedly attempted to punch her before headbutting her.

Mitchell was also appearing on a breach of a CPO after he assaulted his mother at Dorothy Terrace, also Tillicoultry, by pushing her on to a couch before punching her on the head and body repeatedly.

Kelly Howe, defending Mitchell, told the court her client has had a difficult upbringing and that has played a part in making him violent towards the police officers.

Ms Howe said that he suffered a significant head injury as a child which badly affected his development.

He also went through a traumatic and terrifying ordeal back in 2013 after two of his friends knocked him unconscious before he was dropped on flight of stairs.

Mitchell required surgery to remove a blood clot which had moved his brain a centimetre. His solicitor also told the court that he had been suffering significantly from mental health issues of late.

Ms Howe argued that a well-thought and detailed supervision order could work and that he would be willing to comply with it.

Sheriff David Mackie said that although Ms Howe made a persuasive argument for his freedom, he could not ignore the fact that the public needed protecting and that his violence towards the police was punishable by custodial sentence.

He was sentenced to a total of 12 months for the charges, backdated to July 28 when he was remanded in custody.