A MAN who told gym workers he was going to smash things up after his clothes went missing went on to pin a female cop against a wall.

Farshad Azarniya was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work when he appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

The 35-year-old pleaded guilty to assaulting the police officer and behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards staff at The Gym, Argyle Street, on August 31, last year.

The prosecutor said: “Two witnesses were working as personal trainers at around 5.25pm. The accused complained to them that items of clothing which he had left in a locker before lockdown were missing.

“The accused shouted at members of staff and demanded to know where they were. He became agitated and shouted loud at the employees.

“He climbed onto a table shouting, ‘I’m going to smash things up, if I break something it is not going to be good’.

“The accused continued ‘I’m going to go crazy’.

“He refused to leave the premises. The police were contacted and attended.

Glasgow Times:

“Officers attempted to place handcuffs on the accused. He pulled his arm away from a female officer and forced his body onto her. He threw her against the wall and pinned her to that wall with force.

“This caused her pain. At about 6.06pm, two officers attended to offer assistance and the accused was taken to a cell van. He was then conveyed to Govan police station where he was processed.”

Azarniya’s solicitor told the court that his client felt his complaint was not being taken seriously by the employees.

He said: “It’s clear that he reacted badly and inappropriately to the situation. I understand the clothing was expensive and he was given no explanation as to where it had gone.

“He then acted in the way described, standing on a table shouting and bawling.

“The police were called because he refused to leave, and when officers arrived, he felt they may assist him with his complaint but at that stage the police were more interested in the way he had been behaving.

“Both charges are relatively serious and could result in a custodial sentence.

“I would invite you to dispose of this matter by imposing a community payback order as a direct alternative to custody.”

Sheriff Mary Shields placed Azarniya, whose address was listed as Aspire Housing, under supervision for 12 months and ordered him to carry out the 200 hours of unpaid work within the same time scale.