A TEENAGER has been locked up for a year for hurling abuse at police in Helensburgh and spitting at them.

Daniel Forbes, who turned 18 while on remand for the offences, previously pleaded guilty to the incidents that took place on March 31 this year.

Police were driving on West Clyde Street at around 6.30pm when they spotted Forbes walking in the middle of the road.

An officer got out and asked him to move from the roadway. But Forbes started shouting and swearing.

Helensburgh Advertiser: West Clyde Street, where the incident happened on March 31West Clyde Street, where the incident happened on March 31

He said, “F***ng gay boy” and spat towards both officers.

More police attended and Forbes continued to shout and swear, repeating “f***ing gay boy” and “gay, gay, gay”.

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Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard on August 4 that Forbes had been remanded since April 1 and his defence solicitor acknowledged: “His behaviour is, objectively, appalling.

“In his own words, he describes his behaviour as disgraceful.”

Forbes had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to shouting, swearing, uttering offensive comments towards police, while on two bail orders from Airdrie in 2020 and aggravated by prejudice relating to sexual orientation.

He also admitted two charges of assault by spitting at officers.

Forbes’s solicitor said his client was “young, immature” and he abused alcohol and other substances.

He also said Forbes, who was described in court papers as an inmate at the Polmont young offenders institution, had previously been on a community payback order (CPO) which was imposed for a separate offence, but it was interrupted by the pandemic.

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The lawyer said: “He has to take any opportunity the court gives him. The recommendation of the [social work] report is a CPO and he is suitable for a restriction of liberty order.”

But Sheriff Maxwell Hendry told Forbes: “I think [your solicitor] said what can be said on your behalf.

“Your parents seem to be supportive. There is no apparent reason for this onset of criminal offending.

“I must consider the possibility of sending you to prison, but also look at any viable and reasonable alternative. There is no alternative.”

The sheriff described Forbes’s behaviour in the first charge as “atrocious” but the two assaults were “not far behind”.

He sentenced Forbes to a total of 12 months in detention, reduced from 15 because of his age.

Sheriff Hendry added: “I hope you will benefit from your time in custody to curb your offending behaviour.”