A MAN spat at a police inspector after he was caught stealing a bottle of vodka while armed with a knife.

Liam Donnelly, 22, was snared later that night on the A8 in Glasgow on February 18, 2023.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard Donnelly, of Paisley, entered a Tesco around 7.30pm.

Donnelly took the bottle of vodka past the payment point which was identified by security officers.

Prosecutor Mark Allan said: "They approached him and what caused them to disengage was that they saw he was in possession of a large kitchen knife tucked in his waistband."

Donnelly was initially able to flee the scene however police caught up with him 90 minutes later.

Mr Allan added: "Officers approached him and his reaction was to spit on police inspector Kevin Dougall.

"The spittle landed on his body armour."

Donnelly pleaded guilty today to stealing the bottle of vodka, breaching a curfew and the assault on inspector Dougall.

Donnelly's previous convictions include a breach of bail curfew after he was found on a Christmas night out with friends in 2021.

Sentence for the latest matter was deferred pending background reports by Sheriff Paul Reid.

Donnelly - who has spent 290 days on remand for the matter - was granted bail meantime.