A THUG armed with a meat cleaver at his mother’s house who then spat on police during lockdown was jailed on Thursday for three years.

John Mooney, 38, was refused entry by his mum’s home in Glasgow’s Castlemilk after being verbally abusive.

Mooney was found with the cleaver down his trousers and arrested before spitting out at two officers.

He pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to the police assaults and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.

He also admitted a charge of housebreaking.

The court heard Mooney initially broke into friend George Bell’s house on Stravanan Road, Castlemilk.

Mooney demanded cigarettes and alcohol but he was refused and later took Mr Bell’s bicycle.

He rode to his mother and step father’s home in Tormusk Drive where he shouted and swore demanding entry.

Mooney kicked the door and a 999 call was made.

Officers arrested Mooney who was still in the front garden.

Prosecutor Mark Allan said: “He reacted to that by spitting on the first constable and then the other.

“He was searched and tucked into his waistband was a meat cleaver.”

Mooney was taken into custody where he continued to make threats of violence and claimed he was going to “slash” Mr Bell.

Paul Sweeney, defending, told the court the dad-of-two was an out of work scaffolder who was on drugs and alcohol at the time.

He added: “Mr Mooney is appalled by his behaviour.”

Sheriff Joseph Platt told Mooney that only a custodial sentence was appropriate.

He said: “These charges are serous and arose at a difficult time for the officers on the front line trying to deal with issues on lockdown.”