Barrhead Dad Jailed After Chokehold Attack on Officer During Homophobic Outburst
A Barrhead father has been sentenced for violently assaulting a police officer, leaving him with permanent injuries after a homophobic tirade.
Barrhead, Scotland, Police Assault, Homophobic Slurs, Mental Health
Barrhead: A dad named Steven Rae has found himself in serious trouble after attacking a police officer. This all went down in July 2023 when he choked PC Ryan Beveridge with his legs and punched him repeatedly.
Rae, 37, was reportedly in a bad place mentally and had been drinking heavily. He shouted some pretty nasty homophobic slurs at the officers, which is just unacceptable.
According to the court, police were called to a disturbance on Cross Arthurlie Street. When they arrived, Rae approached them aggressively, puffing out his chest and threatening them.
Things escalated quickly. As the officers tried to restrain him, Rae wrapped his legs around PC Beveridge’s neck, choking him while throwing punches. It was a chaotic scene.
PC Beveridge ended up with a nasty cut on his lip that needed stitches, and he might have permanent scarring. The other officer had to call for backup, and eventually, they used PAVA spray to get Rae to let go.
In court, Rae’s lawyer said he felt really embarrassed about what happened and was remorseful. He’s a family man who knows he messed up big time.
The sheriff didn’t hold back, calling it a serious violent assault. Rae was sentenced to 16 months in jail, which seems fair given the circumstances. It’s a tough lesson for him, but hopefully, he can get the help he needs while serving his time.